For the Love of a Green Eyed Kitten
by Chakahlah
Summary: Harry comes into his heritage as a Cat Daemon when he is around 3 years old after his parents are killed in a car accident. At the orphange, it is discovered that another child has a similar heritage to him. When the two of them go to Hogwarts they make new friends, meet up with old friends and, just maybe, they can make a family of their own. Creature!fic, Sub!Harry, SLASH!
1. Prologue

_Hello ladles and jellyspoons! Here is another story to keep you agitated at me for not updating in a timely manor :3 Everything that is in the story but the things you know are mine. I promise to return them when I finish playing with them, but ... well ... I'm not going to be able to say when I think that will be XD. Enjoy :3_

For the Love of a Green Eyed Kitten

Prologue

Police and fire fighters crowded around the street. This was the worst accident they had seen in a long time. The four cars involved were all write-offs – and if there was anyone alive in the central car, then it would be a miracle.

Officer Tim Graille watched with a sympathetic eye as his newest Probationary Officer struggled to hold in his lunch. It was bad. By looks, one car had been going so fast that it had failed to stop. It had rammed into the car in front of it, causing said car to flip onto the roof of the car in front of it. It had then proceeded to hit the central car, pushing it into the first car, before all of them came to a stop after hitting a light post.

Tim wasn't surprised when the police's 'special forces' arrived on the scene. In fact, he was glad they had come. He headed towards the highest-ranking Officer, leaving his second to question the witnesses.

"Good to see you again, Alastor – just wish it could have been under better circumstances."

Alastor Moody nodded at the younger man. "Likewise Graille." He turned to look at the wreck. "Tell me what we have here."

Tim sighed. "The driver of the first car – a young lady – is over by the Sergeant. She's in shock, but we managed to get the story from her." He turned to watch as one of the men that came with his companion used magic to carefully move the car that was on its roof. "The driver of the car you men are now removing from the roof of the central car was behind the car it is now on top of. The driver of the forth car didn't slow down like the others and this was the result. The driver of the forth car is in my van, but you can look at him and see if he's one of yours. If anyone in the second car lived, then they have the nine lives of a cat."

"NO! James! Moody! Get over here! It's James!" Both men jumped at the barking quality of the man's voice. Alastor was over next to the young man who belonged to the voice so fast it was as if he had just appeared there. If it weren't for the lack of a crack, Tim would have thought he had done just that.

By the time Tim got over to them, the black-haired, grey-eyed man was leaning against the chest of a sandy-haired, amber-eyed man, both obviously distraught. Moody was looking at the car eyes filled with sorrow and pain. He was holding a child of around three years of age.

"This is young Harry. He survived while his parents, James and Lily, didn't. James was one of mine. He and Sirius have been partnered together since they were in training. Before that James, Sirius, Remus," he indicated the sandy-haired man, "And another boy named Peter Pettigrew were best friends, throughout their school years. This is a big blow to them. They lost James' parents four years ago. The Senior Potters were like parents to all four boys, three of who were not welcome back in their own homes. Two years ago Lily's parents died and her sister blamed her for their deaths. Just last year, Peter – the youngest of the four boys – died when he prevented a poisoned knife from entering Remus' back. Even though the poison wouldn't have killed Remus, the knife itself would have. It was a silver blade and Remus has the most violent allergic reaction when silver touches him."

"Now they have lost James and Lily. I don't know what will happen to Harry here. Peter was his godfather, and while Sirius and Remus can look after him, Remus is going to be going undercover soon and Sirius works long hours. I'm also not sure that either of them will be mentally able to care for the poor lad. After all, they have just lost another person they loved as a brother." He shook his head and turned towards the two grieving men. Tim stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Give them my condolences. Me and mine will handle the clean-up. You get them two seen too, and deal with the one who caused this. Just make sure you don't kill him if he is under your laws."

Moody nodded once and walked to the two men and spoke quietly to them. Tim shuddered in fear as grey eyes became icy and amber eyes glowed with golden light. He almost felt sorry for the man locked in his car, but that vanished when a wolf-like growl came from the sandy-haired man.

"'Dung you incompetent idiot! What the bloody hell were you doing you arsehole! Because of you, James and Lily are dead! DEAD! GIVE ME ONE REASON WHY I SHOULDN'T RIP YOUR LIMBS FROM YOUR BODY AND CHOKE YOU WITH THEM!"

Tim jumped then shook his head as he saw all the men that had arrived with Moody fighting to subdue the enraged man. "It's always the quiet ones that surprise you," he thought before going back to his duties.

Three hours later, Sirius and Remus knocked on Moody's door.

"It's done, Alastor. Arabella agreed to take him, and we are allowed to still see him every weekend we can make it. She said that we were lucky that she had one place left at the orphanage." Sirius curled up on the floor, whimpering softly. "Did we do the right thing, Moony?"

"We did, Paddy. Neither of us is well enough to look after him in the way that he deserves. He will still have us in his life, and one of the girls there has seemed to have adopted him as a friend already."

Sirius smiled crookedly. "Yes. By the way Moody, Harry's ears came through before we left. He's going to be like Lily, even though he looks like James. The little girl we were just talking about also has ears. I doubt either of them will be going to Hogwarts."

Moody nodded and sighed. Silently he wished the young boy well in his new life, upset that all they could do was send Mundungus Fletcher to Azkaban for a few months. That wasn't enough of a punishment when a little boy would never again see his parents.


	2. Chapter 1 - Captivating Green

Chapter One – Captivating Green

Thirteen Years Later:

"Come on Sweetie, you know that we have to leave now." The speaker was a beautiful young girl with soft chocolate curls framing an oval face. Her cinnamon eyes were locked on a young-looking boy with slitted emerald green eyes in a heart-shaped face that was framed by midnight black hair.

"I know we have to go, Rinie. It's just … we're never going to be coming back, are we?"

Rinie – known to the rest of the world as Hermione – nodded in understanding. "I know how you feel Harry, but don't you want to see your Remy and Siri?" The boy before her perked up and nodded. "Well come on, Sweetie. We have a long walk to the closest train station that will get us close to where they are. It should take us about six hours to get there – including breaks."

A soft glow settled around them and when it faded a red fox with cinnamon eyes and a tiny black kitten with green eyes were revealed before they ran in the direction of the city centre.

The kindly face of an elderly lady appeared in the window of the Figg Family Orphanage to watch them run out of sight. "Good speed, my children and stay safe."

The people in Kings Cross Station stared in surprise as a beautiful red fox appeared on the platform. In its jaws was a tiny black kitten that – to all appearances – was fast asleep. They watched as the animal leapt onto the train and vanished under one of the seats.

Hermione sighed in relief as she placed her burden lovingly on the floor before curling up around him. It had taken them longer than six hours to get to the station due to an unforseen chase involving her kit and a stray dog. Due to that, they'd had to rest for much longer as well as try to find their way back to the route they were taking. As it was, she'd had to carry her brother for the last half an hour to the station.

She admitted to herself that it would have been easier – if not entirely faster – in human form, but her kitten was less skittish in his cat form then his human one and the time was therefore more enjoyable for her. Smiling to herself, she wrapped herself tighter around her kitten and drifted off to sleep.

Remus laughed as his friend ran around him in his animagus form. He couldn't blame him for being excited. Harry and Hermione were finally coming to Hogwarts!

He sighed softly. The mission Moody had sent them on had lasted eleven years, but Remus thought that all the torture and murder he and Sirius had been forced to witness and participate in had been worth it to finally be able to put that group into Azkaban. He was just thankful that they hadn't played part in the multiple rapes that had occurred while they were there. He could admit that there were some problems that came about due to their experiences during that time.

The first was that both he and Sirius had to take a year's leave to recover from everything they had seen and needed to do in order to maintain their cover. To both of their surprise, they got the most help from Sirius' cousins – Narcissa and Bellatrix – Narcissa's husband – Lucius – their son, Draco and the most surprising of all – one Severus Snape. This was just as surprising to everyone who knew this group as the four older Slytherins had been the target of many Marauder pranks while they were at school. Now the six adults were the best of friends and Draco was always there if they needed a bit of fun in their lives. But even with the support of their new friends, both Sirius and he experienced nightmares that no one but the other could offer comfort and understanding for.

The second problem was the flashbacks that had started to occur the week they started back at work and they had both felt obliged to hand in their resignations to Moody's replacement before they got someone seriously hurt, or killed.

Thankfully, for them, once Albus had heard of what they had done and why they had done it, he had offered them both teaching positions at the school – Sirius in charms as the previous teacher had retired and himself for Defence against the Dark Arts. They had happily accepted the positions – after being assured that Narcissa and Bellatrix could cover them during the days of full moon so they could go to Malfoy Manor for his transformations.

The third – and most heartbreaking for both of them – had been that they hadn't been able to collect Harry from the Orphanage when he was younger. They had offered to take him last year, but he had declined, saying that he couldn't leave his Rinie there and he liked looking after the younger children. They had understood but it didn't mean that it hadn't hurt.

Remus was startled out of his thoughts by a large, shaggy black dog knocking him to the ground. "Sirius!" he half laughed, half yelled. "Get off me!"

The grinning black dog vanished, leaving Remus' best friend in its place. The grin on his face would have made any number of females swoon, and made many males shudder in fear of their safety. Remus just laughed, knowing that this was not a prank-related grin.

"Remy! He's coming! He's going to be staying with us! I'm so excited! Do you think he'll want to do pranks with us? Do you think he will get on with our friends?"

Remus chuckled harder. "Calm down, Siri. Remember this is Harry we are talking about, not James. Of course he will not want to do pranks with us, but he will sit down and plan the pranks out for us – like Lily used to do if we weren't going to use them on Sev. If I'm not mistaken, then Narcissa and Bellatrix will want to mother him, Lucius will finally have a decent person to debate wizarding and muggle law and history with – well, he will once Harry is comfortable in his presence – and Severus will be delighted that Harry inherited Lily's personality and intelligence – particularly when it comes to potions."

"What about Draco?"

Remus looked unsure. "That could go one of two ways. Harry will either see him as a protector, therefore treating him the same as he treats Hermione, or he sees him as a threat and hides from him. I think we should be prepared to save him from Hermione if the later comes to pass."

Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "You can say that again! I still remember the first time I transformed in front of them. I don't believe I have ever scared or startled him on purpose since that day. She's worse than a wolf protecting her cubs, the little vixen!"

Remus, who also remembered the day his friend had discovered just how vicious a fox daemon could be, curled up and laughed till his stomach muscles ached at the memories.

Hermione picked Harry up by the scruff of his neck and jumped onto the Platform. She didn't know where they were, but she trusted Remus when he'd said that she'd know where to go. Keeping a firm hold on Harry – who was struggling to get out of her grip – she ran to the closest dark space. Once there, she and Harry returned to human form.

"Rinie," Harry whined. "I'm hungry."

Hermione yawned and stretched. "I know Sweetie, I am too. The first eatery we come across that has an outside bin we will get something to eat, alright?" She smiled as he nodded and yawned. "We'd better start walking now, Sweetie. We will take breaks when we need them and we should arrive at the school by breakfast tomorrow at the latest. She was rewarded with a huge smile appearing on her kitten's face.

"Excuse me, Lass. I couldn't help but overhear you," a deep Scottish burr enveloped them, causing Harry to hide behind Hermione and Hermione to whirl to face the threat. A broad-shouldered man stood before them.

"I'm sorry Lassie; I didn't mean to startle either you or the Kit. Would I be correct in assuming you are looking for a specialist boarding school here in Scotland?"

Hermione and Harry relaxed slowly as they took in the man's easy stance and kindly eyes. "Yes Sir. Would you be able to point us in the right direction?"

The man chuckled. "I can go one better, Lass. I can take you and your Kit to the closest wizarding town and – if you wish – give you a tour of the township after your meal." The man smiled kindly. "My older sister is the Transfiguration professor and I'm on my way to Hogsmeade to pick up something to have with our customary weekly tea. I'm Duncan, by the way. Duncan McGonagall."

Hermione smiled. "I'm Hermione and this is my best friend and blood brother, Harry." She turned to the boy only to find him not there. Looking down, she giggled softly at the sight of a black kitten stalking the shoelaces of the man before her. She laughed when he pounced and missed. Giggling, she picked him up and tickled his stomach.

"I think we are ready to go, Mr McGonagall. Um … is there anywhere we can go to eat first? We kind of have not had anything to eat since breakfast yesterday," she blushed. "We had intended to eat yesterday, but we had a run in with a stray dog and we couldn't bring ourselves to eat anything for a while after that, and when we were ready to eat, we discovered that we had no money on us."

"Call me Duncan, Lass and I know the best place to eat, if you'll allow me to pay for you both."

Hermione smiled and blushed slightly. "Yes thankyou, that would be lovely. Once we get to Hogwarts we can give you back the money it cost you."

Duncan smiled. "No need to repay me for ensuring that I have some company for the day. It does get rather boring and lonely when you do everything by yourself." He placed his hand firmly on the back of Hermione's neck and then all three vanished.

Draco sat at his place at the Slytherin table and fought against the urge to hit his head on the table before him. Instead, he settled on groaning into his arms folded arms. The coffee-skinned teen beside him smirked.

"Having trouble Draco?"

Draco snarled at him. "I'm hungry! I need blood – not the bottled crap that's forced down my throat by Sev!"

Blaise grinned. "You're just pissed because your parents wouldn't allow you to leave school to look for your mate," he teased. Draco whimpered, causing Blaise to snigger.

Of all his friends, Blaise was the only one who understood what he was going through as they both had gained their inheritance within two weeks of the other – Blaise as a Dark Elf and himself as a Vampire. The only thing that he had to go through that Blaise didn't was the intense yearning for his mate.

"I fucking hate you Blaise," he muttered darkly into his arms.

Blaise smirked. "I can't help it if I'm more inclined on having a relationship in which both partners are equal in power."

"And I can't help it that I need my submissive to feed from rather than some stranger on the street!" Draco snapped, raising his head from his arms.

Blaise winced. He hadn't known how desperate his friend was. He wasn't supposed to get this bad unless his mate was nearby. Shrugging mentally, he had decided to go back to his own meal when the doors to the Great Hall were opened and two strangers stepped in.

Draco noticed the doors open but dismissed it as unimportant until he felt the gums at the base of his canine teeth begin to tingle. Looking towards the door, all he could see was a vibrant pair of emerald green eyes. Growling possessively only one thing ran through his mind. MINE!

Blaise was brought out of his shock by the possessive growl that came from Draco's throat. Glancing at his oldest friend, Blaise paled dramatically. The Vampire's eyes – which were normally clear grey – were now black and his canines were enlarging to their full size as fangs. He swore as he realised that his friend had just found his submissive.

Hermione and Harry stood outside the door to the Great Hall holding each other for comfort after being left there by Duncan, who had headed straight to his sister's rooms to get their supper set up.

"I'm scared, Rinie," Harry whispered.

"I know Sweetie. Just remember that I'll be with you every step of the way and Remy and Siri will be in view all the time as well."

Harry nodded and she knew that he was as ready as he'd ever be. Stepping forwards knowing her kit would follow closely; she opened the doors and stepped in. The slight rumble of conversation that had been present just a few moments before had vanished. The only thing that broke the silence was an annoying buzz in her ears. She felt rather than heard Harry move beside her so he could look around. At the sound of a possessive growl, she spun around defensively – only to find her kitten curiously moving towards the sound. Hearing his low purr of contentment, she realised what was happening.

She smiled and slowly followed him deeper into the room. She was happy he had found his dominant and would do all she could to make sure he knew he had her support.

Halfway to the table, a hand shot out and grabbed Harry's wrist, causing him to jump and back away, making the hand release him in the process. Now that his attention had been bought back to his surroundings, he could hear the whispers.

"Did you see their ears?"

"And their eyes?"

"Who are they?"

"Do you think they will stay long?"

"Are those tails?"

Harry was bought back to what was going on in front of him when the hand tried to grab him once again. Once more he took a few steps back.

"Come on Kitty, you know you want me," the boy who belonged to the hand smirked, ignoring the hisses of 'Zacharias' coming from the table around him.

Harry kept backing up slowly, fighting the urge to call for his Rinie. He did, however, hiss at him – even though it did nothing to deter the larger male.

Zacharias' smirk grew larger. "You will make a good bed warmer. True submissive's always are. The beauty of it is – once you have been claimed no one, not even your dominant, can break it. Now all I need to do is stake my claim." He lunged forward and several things happened at once.

The first was Hermione reaching her kit and slashing the Hufflepuff across his face with her now very sharp claws before hugging Harry to her as mist surrounded them. When it had cleared an enraged red fox was crouched over a tiny black kitten that was curled in a tight ball. The fox had its fur on end in a threatening display and everyone could tell that if it came to it, the fox would fight to protect the black ball of fluff.

The second was a large black dog leaping from the teacher's table, snarling in rage and hitting a magical barrier head first at the same time as four beams of light hit the same barrier. Luckily none of the spells hit the dog, but he was a little stunned by the collision. After shaking his head to get rid of the dizziness, he started to prowl around the outside, testing it to see if he could get in.

The third was that Zacharias Smith found himself being held in the air by a hand around his throat that was squeezing just hard enough that he was finding himself struggling slightly to breath. Looking down as he gasped for breath he found himself face-to-face with an enraged Draco Malfoy. A Draco Malfoy with blood-red eyes, black wings and large pointed canines. He quickly put two and two together.

'Oh Fuck!" he managed to think before the blonde Vampire hissed at him angrily.

"You dared to touch a submissive without the permission of him or his dominant. You dared to announce your intention to claim said submissive before his family while ignoring the laws of bonding. Do you have a mental disorder, or were you born stupid?" Draco hissed loud enough for his voice to echo around the once again silent hall so no one could interfere with this confrontation – not that anyone would, only someone suicidal would go against Draco when he was this enraged, and Zacharias had pissed everyone off enough that no one was willing to aid him after this spectacular performance of putting his foot in it.

"Since you were stopped before doing more than scare the submissive in question, I cannot punish you – but if I hear of you going near another submissive, let alone touch one, I will personally hunt you down and make you my contribution to Thanatos – The God of Death rather than my normal offering of poultry. Do I make myself clear?"

Zacharias forced a 'yes sir' between his lips and ran from the hall as soon as he had been dropped. When he was gone, the barrier around the small group disappeared, allowing a very worried Sirius and Remus to help their nephew.

"It's ok, Hermione. He's gone and no one is stupid enough to do anything else, now that they know that he is under the protection of our resident Vampire," Remus soothed.

"Anyone who does question it will not only be answering to Draco," the smooth cultured voice of Hogwarts resident Dark Elf caressed the hall's occupants. Many students shivered in fear. One of the Princes of Slytherin was bad enough, but having to deal with both? Not one of them wanted to risk their lives.

"Thank you for your assurances. I am Hermione, but 'Mione is fine," Hermione said, slowly raising up off the floor with the kitten now curled up in her arms.

Blaise extended his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Hermione. I am Blaise Zabini and ¾ Dark Elf." A dreamy expression passed over their faces when their hands touched. Draco raised an eyebrow in surprise. This was an interesting development.

Sirius knelt at Hermione's feet. "I swear I didn't know that was going to happen, 'Mione, you've got to believe me." He hid his face in his hands.

"Oh, Sirius," she sighed. "I know that you didn't because Harry means more to you than anything. Believe me when I say if I had thought you had known, what I did to you twelve years ago would have looked like a paper cut."

Remus looked at the ball of fluff held protectively in Hermione's arms. "How is our Kit?"

She smiled and uncurled him. "Come on Sweetie, you're safe now and Remy and Siri want to see you." She placed the kitten on the ground and watched over his transformation. Within seconds she had her arms full of teary-eyed cat-daemon. "Shh, Sweetie, it's okay. It's all over now and he'll never come near you again. You're safe here."

"He scared me, Rinie. He scared me real bad. Why'd he say what he said?" her kit sobbed into her shirt.

"Oh Sweetheart, he said those things because he was a bad person, but remember that there are people here who love you and will protect you from people like him and remember that I am always here as well," she softly ran her fingers across his palm, making him smile wetly.

"Siblings of spirit - now of blood. I remember Rinie." He snuggled into his sister's side.

"Hey Kit, don't we get a hug?" Remus teased gently. He was ready to catch the boy when he flung himself into the werewolf's arms.

As he was greeting his family and they were making sure he was all right, Draco had taken the opportunity to examine his mate. He was a full head shorter than Draco was and had black hair that reached mid-back and green eyes in a heart-shaped face. He was slim and had a slight feminine curve to his hips. He smelt like night air perfumed with orange zest, cinnamon, peppermint and just a hint of apple blossom. It was intoxicating to him. Then he came to the two cutest things about his mate: The little cat's ears on the top of his head and the adorable tail that seemed to have a mind of its own.

Harry was aware of the eyes watching him and to his surprise he didn't mind the attention. Once Remus and Sirius had finished hugging him – and making sure that he was unharmed – he quietly moved until he was standing before his Dominant. He giggled softly when he realised the Vampire was enthralled with his tail. He giggled again and caught the blonde's attention.

Draco refocused on his surroundings and found he was looking into the emerald pools that were his mate's eyes. He desperately fought off the urge to push his mate over the closest table and claim his lips with his own and so focused on the slitted pupils rather than the innocence in their depths.

"Thank you," Harry whispered shyly, not knowing the effect that his velvet soft voice was having on the Vampire. Slowly and deliberately he allowed his head to fall back, revealing his milky throat to the Dominant presence before him, showing his submission and acceptance. Just as slowly, he tilted his head to one side, inviting the blonde to drink and mark him as his mate.

The second his newly elongated fangs sank into Harry's flesh, Draco was in heaven. The taste was sweeter than honey and richer than pure dark chocolate. If it hadn't have been for the presence of Blaise, Remus, Sirius and now Severus close to him, he was sure he would have claimed his submissive there and then. As it was he was in for one hell of a hangover in the morning due to the richness of his mate's blood compared to that of the synthetic stuff he had been drinking, but he really didn't care about any of that. His mate was here, in his arms, and he was going to be staying close due to him being close to Remus and Sirius.

~~~eeeeeeeeeeee~~~

Sirius turned to face a gob smacked Remus and newly arrived Severus when Draco's fangs had pierced the skin of their nephew's throat. "I think you missed out a reaction, Mooney," he said simply before turning back to the new couple. "Can you believe that his mate turned out to be the son of my cousin and one of our friends?"

Remus shook his head and then started laughing at something that had just occurred to him. "Y- you do r-realise that th-this makes us all family now," he said in answer to the questioning looks he was receiving from both Severus and Sirius.

Sirius let a Marauder's grin spread across his face as he turned to face Severus. "How about it Sevvie? Ready to have a few lion's in the family?"

Severus shocked the students when he smiled at the two marauders. "I think it is a bit late for that, Mutt, since you seem to make it to every family event that is held, but it will be good for you to actually have a reason to be at them – something other than Narcissa and Bella being related to you, because they are now at the stage of denying that accusation."

Sirius and Remus laughed before a mischievous glint appeared deep in his storm-grey eyes. "Let's go inform our new in-laws!' he announced, before running out of the room, leaving Remus, Severus, Blaise and Hermione to try and remove Draco from his mate's throat.


	3. Chapter 2 - Introducing Your New Son

Chapter 2 – Introducing Your New Son

By the time Remus and Severus got Draco away from his mate, Sirius had run back to them in his animagus form and transformed. "Come on! Lucius, Cissa and Bella will meet us in Sev's rooms!" he went to grab Harry's arm to pull him from the room, only to blanch when Hermione snarled at him.

"Sirius Orion Black! If you do not calm down and stop scaring MY Kit, I will take you over my knee and spank you until you cannot sit for a week!"

To everyone's surprise – and Severus' amusement – Sirius calmed down. "Sorry 'Mione," he whispered.

Draco glanced at Blaise, who seemed to be drooling. "Well, you know that you won't have any problems with your children."

Blaise blinked at Draco – who was halfway between his glaze-covered eyed state and a smirk. Before he could say something about the look on his friends face, he saw an arm snake its way around Draco's shoulders and guide him out of the Hall.

"Now that you have met our Kit, What do you think?"

Draco smiled up at the sandy-haired man. "I think he's cute. I don't know him well enough to know if I like him or not, but he seems to be someone I could learn to love. I'm just a little anxious that I will scare him away."

Remus smiled his understanding. "I know what you mean. When we first saw him when he was in the orphanage, he was so sweet and shy that when Sirius greeted him the way he normally greets you, he was faced with a three-year old Hermione scolding him before inviting me to play with them. We were there for the whole day and he was not allowed anywhere near Harry until it was time for us to go. Any time he tried to join in, Hermione hid Harry behind her, glared at Sirius and moved somewhere else."

He smiled down at the younger male. "Once Harry gets used to being around everyone he will loosen up a little and loose his shyness. He is also very good with children – better than me, in fact."

Draco smiled as he allowed himself to fall into a light daydream of a little girl with her own ears and tail and a little boy with the obvious body structure of a Vampire.

Remus and Severus exchanged smirks before tuning into the conversation behind them. There was no doubt in either of their minds that Draco was already enthralled by the younger male.

Narcissa, Bellatrix and Lucius were startled when the door to Severus' rooms opened to reveal Remus and Severus on either side of a dazed and goofily grinning Draco. Looking at his face closely, they noticed his eyes were wide and flicking around the room. Narcissa was on her feet and before Draco before anyone else had moved.

"Draco! What's wrong? What happened? Who did this to him? Severus Snape I demand an answer right now!"

Severus opened his mouth to talk when a whimper was heard. It seemed that Harry had heard the threatening tone of Narcissa's voice and was reacting to it. He swore softly.

"I mean it Severus! Tell me who is responsible for my son to be acting like this! They will not be getting out of a punishment for this!"

Harry whimpered again, catching everyone's attention. Lucius being the vampire of the couple suddenly realise what had occurred and that if he didn't stop his wife soon, she would be injured – rather badly – by her son. Unfortunately for him, Narcissa also heard the whimper and turned on the boy who was making the sound.

"So, it was you. Well, I think I have the perfect punishment for you, boy!" She lunged at him just as five male voices called for her to stop. She heard a sound like a scared kitten and found herself with a pair of molten mercury eyes just inches from her own.

"If you so much as disrupt one hair on his head, I will rip you apart, slowly and painfully."

Remus and Sirius exchanged astounded looks. Normally when confronted with something like this, Harry would hide behind his older sister and transform. Now, he was hiding behind Draco. Hermione hadn't even moved to protect her Kit like she normally would have done.

She saw their looks of surprise and whispered, "He has to be able to prove to Harry that he can protect him." They nodded their understanding and turned back to watch the show and realised that Lucius had now joined in and was whispering frantically into Narcissa's ear.

Bellatrix was rolling on the floor in laughter – after all, it wasn't every day that she got to see neither her calm brother-in-law nor her almost perfect sister, in such a state.

It took Lucius nearly ten minutes to get Narcissa calmed enough to listen to him. Narcissa blanched when she realised that she had just threatened her son's mate. She turned with an apology on her lips, only for it to die when she saw them together.

Draco stood just over 20cm taller than the black-haired teen he had in his arms. He was looking down at him with a gentle look in his eyes as the face of said teen was hidden in his chest. Narcissa smiled sadly, thankful that she hadn't scared the boy away. She knew that she had a lot of apologising to do.

Draco smiled down at his mate as he drew comfort from him. "I want to introduce you to my family. I know my mother scared you, but I promise to not leave you alone with any of them." He smiled as the head nodded, but the body started to shake a little. "Would you like for me to make it so no one will touch you?"

The head nodded and looked up at him. Draco smirked and lowered his head to sink his fangs back into the throat exposed to him, ignoring the gasps that came from his family and the groans that came from the four that had needed to separate them before. After taking a few mouthfuls, Draco healed the wound and sat on a lounge chair, pulling Harry down with him.

"This is my father, Lucius," Draco said pointing towards the older version of himself. "My mother, Narcissa," he glared lightly at his mother, "and my aunt, Bellatrix, or Bella." He looked at his family pointedly. "This is my mate, Harry, and his friend, Hermione."

"Sister."

Draco blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Rinie is my sister – not my friend."

Remus looked confused. "What do you mean she's your sister, kit?"

Everyone in the room noticed the look Harry and Hermione exchanged – as well as the slight movement of fingers over their left palms.


	4. Chapter 4 - Hermione steps in

Chapter 3 – Hermione steps in

"When we were younger we only had each other," Hermione started. "I was the only person who could get close enough to Harry to do anything – other than Mama Figg, and even then, I had to be there. Over time, we got closer until Mama Figg had to remove me from the adoption list since I refused to go anywhere without Harry."

Harry smiled shyly when Hermione looked at him with sparkling eyes.

"It turned out to be a good thing though, since we had a special teacher arrive a few years later to explain why we had ears – and later, a tail, when no one else in the orphanage did." She indicated for Harry to continue with a small smile and nod.

"When we turned six we found a book that we understood – it turned out that while we needed to learn the human tongue, we were born with the knowledge of our heritage language." Harry smiled slightly into Draco's eyes. "The book explained about blood magic and how blood is important in everything to do with family. It also explained blood-adoption and why it is – or was – popular in most magical communities." Harry blushed as he realised he was side-tracking. Draco, however, just smirked.

"You and Father will get on famously, Harry. I can see him struggling to not ask question and spark a debate."

Sirius and Remus laughed. "Our Kit loves debates. We can tell that it is going to be hard to get a word in edge wards when they are together."

Harry glared at them with his arms crossed. "I do NOT enjoy debates. Debates are used to argue if a point is correct or incorrect and to force someone to accept the point of view of someone else. I enjoy conversations where two or more parties have conflicting views and exchange information so they can gain another's point of view without making them out to be idiots in the meantime, and then when they leave, they still have their views, but with more information on the other side of the topic."

Sirius blinked in confusion. "Um … Rem? Did that make sense to you, because it sure as Hell confused me?"

"It isn't our fault that the Neanderthal-like brain you have is too simple to process big words." Harry, Hermione and Remus chorused, causing the others in the room to laugh heartily.

"Yes, you will definitely fit into my family, Kitten," Draco chuckled as Harry blushed in embarrassment and Sirius pouted.

Remus cleared his throat when most of them had calmed down. "You were telling us about how you and Hermione are siblings, Kit," he urged.

Harry nodded. "To cut a long story short, we combined our races blood adoption rituals to suit our needs and performed the two of them at the same time, with the result of us being blood-bound siblings."

Hermione giggled softly. "I don't think I've seen Tom so mad before that!"

Harry laughed softly. "I know! He was so angry he was trapped in his animal form!"

Everyone smiled, watching the two young ones talk. Draco finally gave into the desire to stroke the black ears on top of Harry's head.

Harry jumped when someone touched his ears. When the laughter started, he ran and hid behind Hermione's chair. Draco whined softly at the loss of him mate. Harry peeked around the edge of the seat and mewled softly, calling to his upset mate.

Draco was torn between going to his mate and staying with his family. Harry mewled again and Draco joined him behind the seat.

Remus sighed. "I think we made a big mistake in how we handled this. We didn't think about how he is around new people."

Hermione smiled. "Maybe we should do this my way. It will take a while, but I should be able to get him to how he is with me, Siri and Remy." She chuckled, "he will also calm down a lot when he gets with child."

"What is your way, 'Mione?" Remus asked.

"Introduce them to him one at a time and give him a few days to get used to them before adding someone else to the group."

Sirius nodded. "That would be the smartest thing to do. I stuffed up again, didn't I 'Mione?"

Hermione smiled. "No, you didn't, Sirius. You just got over-enthusiastic and confused him with James once more."

Sirius nodded a little dejectedly. "I know, 'Mione. Are we going to be allowed in the room with him while you do this?"

"Yes Siri. We are going to need you both to show him it is safe to be around them." Hermione now turned serious, "now, I think that for the first few days it should be me, Siri, Remy, Harry and our mates. As you can tell, he is already drawn to his mate and it won't take very long for him to accept mine. After that, we will need Professor tall, dark and brooding after that, since we are going to be in close contact with him while we stay here."

Severus blinked while the rest laughed. "Professor tall, dark and brooding?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know your surname and I don't know you well enough – or have your permission – to call you by your first name. Neither am I crass enough to use the titles I was told to use by Sirius.

Severus nodded his acceptance glaring at Sirius. "For future reference, Miss …"

Hermione smiled. "Granger, Professor, but I do not mind Hermione."

"Thank you, Miss Granger. You may call me Professor Snape until we are more familiar with each other. Professor is also fine."

Hermione chuckled. "Thank you Professor. After Professor Snape will be Mr Malfoy, the nice quiet lady between the Professor and Mrs Malfoy and then Mrs Malfoy."

Narcissa opened her mouth to protest and was treated to a full-fledged fox-daemon glare. "If you hadn't have reacted the way you did, or listened to your mate – who is a vampire like your son – you would have been able to be introduced earlier. As it stands, My Kit is terrified of you and it will take him a long time to accept that you will not take Draco away from him!"

Narcissa sighed and nodded. She had known that her behaviour beforehand had been unacceptable and now she was reaping the rewards from it. As she watched the six people leave the room, she prayed that the damage that she'd done hadn't ruined her chances at having a good relationship with the adorable boy.

After the door had closed, Severus turned to Narcissa. "How could you be so stupid, 'Cissa? Normally if this happened, you would listen to Lucius. What was so different about this?"

Narcissa put her head in her hands. "I don't know what happened, Sev. I saw Draco walk in with that look and something in me snapped."

Bellatrix started laughing. "Seems to me that your non-existent mother's instinct decided to kick in, Sister Dear."

Narcissa whimpered. "I don't want to lose my son."

Lucius sighed and put his head into his hands. He should have guessed this would have happened. "'Cissa, we are not losing our son, we are gaining a son and potentially grandchildren. Why did you have to pick now of all times to become maternal?"

Narcissa sighed. "I don't know."

Bellatrix managed to stop laughing long enough to choke out. "She wants to become the Mother-in-law from Hell!" She lost her fight to control her laughter as Narcissa groaned in defeat.

All Severus could do was shake his head and feel sorry for the boy who would become a member of this odd family.

Remus looked around his room and smiled. His kitten was lying on the plush burgundy rug before the banked fire with his head resting on Draco's chest – both boys were fast asleep. Hermione and Blaise had managed to curl up in individual armchairs to talk, but had still managed to also fall asleep. He assumed that his Kit and Hermione had had a very big day and that evening had just been too much for them.

Looking up at an unfamiliar noise, he saw Sirius looking at the four teens with a soft look in his eye. "It seems a shame to wake them," he whispered, transfiguring three blankets from some quills. "Let's let them sleep here. I'll sleep in my room if you don't want me to add more clutter to your sitting room."

Remus chuckled. "You can sleep in the spare room if you want to, Padfoot. I don't think I'll be able to keep the nightmares away tonight."

Sirius nodded in understanding. Remus always had the worst nightmares in the two weeks leading to the full moon, and if he were to tell the truth, he himself would have killed himself before allowing someone to use him as they had Remus.

Remus and Sirius had nothing in common other than a deep love for pranking, but there was no one that could separate the two of them. They were a tight team, old Padfoot and Moony – and if anyone had though to ask, they would have discovered that Remus was the one in charge, not Sirius like they all assumed. Remus Lupin was Sirius Black's hero and had been for a long, long time.


	5. Chapter 4 - Getting to know you Day 1

Chapter 4 – Getting to know you, Day 1

Harry snuggled into the warm pillow beneath him, feeling content. When the pillow moved, he complained wordlessly and tried to snuggle deeper. He jumped in surprise when his pillow chuckled softly. Harry flushed in embarrassment when he looked into the grey eyes of his mate.

Draco smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

Harry hid his face and nodded.

"That's good. I also had a lovely sleep – though my back might ache a little due to us falling asleep on the floor."

Remus appeared in the doorway, a smile on his face. "Are you ready for breakfast Kit? I made your favourite."

Harry smiled sweetly. "Is Rinie awake yet?"

Instead of answering, Remus pointed to the armchairs, laughter dancing in his eyes. Draco smiled when his mate jumped up, ran to a chair and leaped – turning into his kitten form. Draco and Remus laughed when Blaise yelped and fell on the floor while the smug-looking kitten jumped onto the lounge with a giggling Hermione curled up on it.

"That was naughty of you, Sweetie. What did Blaise do to you to deserve that?"

Harry changed back and snuggled into Hermione. "He's your mate – that's what he's done to me. I wake you up in the morning, so he has to get used to it," he answered with a mischievous glint in his eye, "and since you accepted my mate, the least I can do is accept yours into our family."

Blaise and Draco blinked as Hermione threw her arms around Harry. Remus just smiled and cleared his throat.

Harry looked up with a big grin. "Rinie! Remy made breakfast! Can we go eat now? Pleeeeease! He made my favourite!"

Hermione laughed. "So he made your favourite did he? Do you know if our mates like your favourite breakfast?"

Harry's ears flicked back slightly. "No, I don't. Can I ask them?"

Harry jumped and hissed when Sirius' barking laughter sounded. Draco, Remus, Blaise and Hermione laughed softly when Sirius whined at the glare Harry sent him.

"Why don't you ask them if they like what we are having for breakfast?" Remus asked when he'd calmed down a few seconds later.

Harry beamed and ran into Draco's arms before looking up at him with innocent emerald eyes that seemed too large for his face. "Do you like spiced scrambled eggs, ham, Greek yoghurt pancakes all with maple syrup, strawberries, banana, grapes and cherries?"

Draco – who was lost in the eyes before him – just nodded. He didn't care what it was that he was about to eat, as long as those eyes stayed the way they were.

Blaise looked at Hermione, Remus and Sirius in disbelief. "He can eat that much?"

Hermione chuckled. "He has one egg, one pancake, two small pieces of ham and a cup of mixed berries and maple syrup. He has a high metabolism but he prefers to eat small meals frequently – and he has one hell of a strange set of tastebuds."

Harry purred in agreement as his stomach growled. Draco struggled to keep himself from melting at the hopeful and slightly embarrassed face of his mate as he was lead to the dining table. He could tell that he had failed by the looks he was getting from a smug Blaise and an ecstatic Hermione. Shrugging at them with a small half-smile, he turned his attention back to the black-hair teen that was bouncing in front of him.

FTLOAGEK

Blaise watched Draco closely as Harry finished his breakfast. He had noticed that the Vampire's eyes had glazed over halfway through the meal. He had almost laughed out loud when his friend's jaw had dropped as he watched his mate's tongue flick over his lips when he saw the plate of food. He HAD laughed when his eyes had glazed over while he watched his mate eat. If Blaise had his way, Draco would never live it down.

FTLOAGEK

Harry licked the last bit of sweetness from his lips with a small hum of pleasure. When he looked up, he found everyone looking at him in amusement and – in one case – lust. "Um … Hi?"

Hermione laughed. "Hi Sweetie, did you enjoy your breakfast?"

Harry nodded with a smile. "Yes Rinie. Can I make my own lunch? I feel like something that I don't think anyone else would be interested in."

Hermione sighed. "You don't need to ask me, Harry. Just do it. We have different rules here. I no longer need to be your dominant figure, you have Draco now."

"But I don't know Draco very well Rinie," Harry whispered.

Hermione smiled. "I have an idea. Why don't you spend this morning in the kitchen while I get to know both our mates slightly? After you have finished making those wonderful dishes you make for picnics you, me and our mates will go on a picnic and spend this afternoon getting to know each other with no other distractions. Do you like that idea?"

Harry beamed and ran into the kitchen.

Remus groaned. "You do realise that I am not going to be allowed in there 'til he's out now, don't you?"

Hermione smiled sweetly. "That was the idea. I need you boys to guide me to a study I can use so I can have a private discussion with our mates. If you would like I can also aid you both in marking the younger years reports – even though Defence isn't my strong point."

Sirius brightened. "How about we give you Mooney's office and I'll bring my reports for you to do and I'll join Remus at the table to do my upper years while Remus does his at the opposite end. That way we will all be somewhere easily accessed by Harry."

Hermione nodded in satisfaction and rose to her fee, stretching. "Well, there's no time like the present. If you want to go collect the reports Sirius, Remus can show us to his office."

Sirius nodded and left.

"Professor Lupin? Would you like me to mark your younger student's reports?" Blaise asked as Remus led them from the room. Remus beamed his acceptance. Even though he only had the holiday assignments back, there were a lot there – but that's what you got for requesting two assignments per year group.

FTLOAGEK

Harry looked around the kitchen in excitement. He knew that if he wanted something all he had to do was call for the house elf that was assigned to Remus or Sirius. Clasping his hands before him with a smile, he looked around his work area.

'It's small, but neat,' he thought with a small grin, 'just like Remus.'

Humming softly, Harry walked around the room, committing where everything belonged to memory. Once that was done, he looked in the pantry to see what he needed. Nodding in determination, he called for both house-elves and got to work.

FTLOAGEK

Draco watched the two at the desk with a shudder. Never had he seen anyone take so much joy in doing something so … so … so Boring! He shook his head slightly in astonishment. Once they had been alone, Hermione had started talking. She had given them a run down on her and Harry's life in the orphanage and had relived some of their time there. She had also threatened – not his life, but his manhood – if he thought to harm Harry. He had made a vow to never knowingly hurt the black-haired teen and then both Hermione and Blaise had started their marking. That had been 1 hour and 20 minutes ago and Draco was still as bored as he was when they'd first started.

A knock on the door made all three of them jump. Hermione smiled.

"Come in, Harry. You know you don't need to knock."

Draco's eyes lit up when he saw his mate, his black head covered in flour. His eyes hardened when he noticed the tears in the green eyes.

"Oh Sweetie. What happened?"

"I yelled at Paddy."

"Why did you yell at Padfoot, Harry?" Hermione's voice sounded slightly amused.

"Because he came into the kitchen and tried to help. He got flour over EVERYTHING!" Hermione, Blaise and Draco all tried to suppress their laughter at this.

"I can see that, Sweetie," Hermione continued when she had control of herself. "What did you do?"

Harry looked up shyly. "I yelled at him. I said he was more trouble than he's worth, that I'd prefer to have the help of a two-year-old because they are better behaved and for his punishment he had to clean the mess he made, he was banned from the kitchen while I was in it and he has to eat in the Great Hall with the other teachers for a week."

Hermione lost her control and laughed hard. "You told him that he was banned from your cooking for a week? That's brilliant!"

Harry smiled shyly. "You think so Rinie? You don't think I was too harsh on him?"

Hermione, Blaise and Draco chuckled.

"Let me put it this way, Sweetie; if we had still been at the orphanage and one of the children had done what Sirius just did, what would you have done?"

Harry scowled. "It depends on how old they were. If they were old enough to be in senior school, they would have been cooking for themselves and any others that had misbehaved. If they were junior school age, they would be cleaning up the mess and spending the rest of the day sitting at the table writing out recipe cards. If they were younger than that, they would get their fingers and bottom smacked and banned from the kitchen and me for the rest of the day."

Hermione smiled. "So, do you think you were too harsh on him?"

Harry looked at Hermione thoughtfully. "No I don't. He needs to learn that the kitchen is MY domain and that if he is going to act like a child while in it, then I will treat him like one."

Laughter from the doorway made all of them turn around. Standing just outside the room was a pouting Sirius and a laughing Remus.

"I can't believe you just said that, Kitten," Sirius pouted. "Are you really going to make me eat in the Great Hall?"

Harry glared at the canine animagus. "Yes I am. Just be happy that I'm not going to make you cook for yourself for the week."

Both Sirius and Remus paled. "You wouldn't do that would you?" Remus whispered, "Last time he cooked he was in the hospital wing for a week!"

Harry just gave them a blank-faced look. "Then he'd better not do what he did again, isn't that right?"

Remus stopped laughing and looked at Sirius. "What did you do?"

Sirius blushed and mumbled something.

"I can't hear you, Sirius," Remus stated, even though he had heard him perfectly.

"I said I tried to make it more interesting, but instead of him enjoying what I did, he yelled at me, made me clean the kitchen, banned me from said kitchen and told me I'm not allowed to eat with you for a week." He pouted.

"You also forgot me telling you a 2-year-old was more mature and less trouble than you."

Sirius whined sadly and Remus shook his head.

"You're just going to have to suffer through your punishment. You know what he's like."

"But Moony! That means seven days – Seven Days – of not eating our kitten's cooking."

Remus chuckled and turned away. "You've been living without Harry's cooking for most of your life. I'm sure that one more week won't harm you."

Sirius pouted, following the other man.

Draco and Blaise grinned at each other. They had always agreed with their head of house in the belief that Remus and Sirius – though bachelors – acted like an old married couple. The whole school had many hours of fun watching the two men.

"How much longer will you be, Rinie?" Harry asked softly.

"I'm just under three quarters of the way through the first year. I should be finished the full year in another forty five minutes at the most."

Harry nodded. "That's good. I have a few things in the oven that will take half an hour. That will give them long enough to cool and for me to pack it. I think there may be enough for tonight as well. Do we have somewhere we can go to eat it?"

Draco and Blaise exchanged smirks. "We've got the perfect spot," they announced.

Harry beamed at them and snuggled into Draco's side, causing the vampire to almost purr in ecstasy.

Hermione resumed her marking with a smile. Draco had been starting to annoy her with his constant fidgeting. With Harry next to him and purring his head off, she assumed that he would be happy to sit still.

Draco smiled down at the top of his mate's head and softly caressed one of his ears. He smiled slightly when the younger teen went boneless and began purring. Slowly, Draco started to relax. By the time Remus looked in twenty minutes later, both Harry and Draco were in the middle of a catnap.

"Do you think we should wake them?" Blaise whispered

"No. Harry will wake up soon and if Draco doesn't wake up when he moves, we can wake him up."

Blaise nodded and turned to Remus. "I'm almost finished the first year's pop quiz. Can I ask why you gave them a pop quiz on the first day?"

Remus made himself comfortable. "Both Sirius and myself give all the years quizzes in their first lesson so we can 1) see what they remember from previous years – or in case of the first years – to see if they learnt anything from listening to the adults and older siblings around them, and 2) to see whether or not they had done any reading of the text book. We don't expect the whole text book to be read, but we do expect it to have been opened over the summer."

Blaise nodded thoughtfully. "And after that you have a practical revision for years 2-7, don't you?"

Remus smiled. "Yes we do. We find that it aids us in helping those who need help in a specific area."

Blaise nodded. "That makes sense."

Remus opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a crack.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled sleepily, stretching. "I've got to go back to the kitchen now."

Hermione laughed as he left the room, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. She looked at Blaise with a mischievous glint in her eye and a slight smirk on her lips. "Now we can wake him up."

Remus was instantly on his feet and as far away from Hermione as he could get without actually leaving the room.

Blaise felt a small shiver of what could have been fear slide down his spine. What could his mate do to cause a man who willingly lived with Sirius Black – a prankster from birth - for years to back away? Before he could open his mouth to protest, Hermione had performed a running leap and landed on the blonde vampire in her fox form with what looked to be flames surrounding her body.

Remus collapsed into laughter as Draco opened his eyes and shouted out in shock. Hermione jumped off the blonde and ran to Remus, a foxes grin on her muzzle. Blaise couldn't help but chuckle at his best friend's sleepy glare.

"We only have a little time before we have to go. I didn't want to have to get Harry to wake you so I did it," Hermione said innocently.

"I think I'd prefer Harry to wake me up," Draco mumbled.

Both Remus and Hermione shuddered. "Believe us when we say 'No, you wouldn't'."

Draco yelped as something hit him in the back, pushing him to the floor.

"Everything's ready for our picnic. Are you ready yet?

Hermione and Remus laughed at the faces of the two Slytherins.

"That is why you wouldn't prefer it. I have control over fire he uses shadow. He has been able to wake up even the deepest of sleepers by appearing in the shadows above them and dropping on them in his kitten form. Yes Harry, we are ready. We just have to wait for your mate to wake up properly."

Harry beamed and turned to the blonde vampire – who had suddenly been surrounded by shadows. "Ok, he's ready. Can we go now?" He asked as the shadows left the subject of their attention, causing the other four beings in the room to blink at him in shock. Harry tilted his head to the left like a curious puppy. "What?"

Hermione hid a grin as she saw Draco try to wipe the drool from his face without being noticed.

FTLOAGEK

"You've had coffee, sugar or chocolate, haven't you kit?" Remus asked, eyes shining with withheld mirth.

Harry nodded his head vigorously. "I made a cake. Choc-banana with mocha icing, the icing was nummy!"

Remus laughed till tears rolled down his cheeks. "Good luck!' he called to a horror-stricken Draco as he was pulled out of the room by a hyperactive and impatient Kitty-Demon. Hermione and Blaise followed them, laughing at the dark-haired boy's antics.

FTLOAGEK

Harry and Hermione looked at each other in confusion. Their mates had escorted them to this area for their picnic, but they didn't know why. When a door appeared, both of them tilted their head to the left, causing the two boys to chuckle.

"This is the Room of Requirement," Blaise explained, covering Hermione's eyes. "This room changes to suit what you need it to be."

"Trust me," Draco whispered as he nuzzled into Harry's neck, relishing the slight whimper that escaped the younger male.

The two dominants guided their mates into the room before removing their hands from their eyes with a slight flourish.

The two new comers – who were also carrying a picnic basket each – stood there with wide eyes; before them lay a paradise.

The ground beneath their feet was like a thick carpet. The air was slightly chilled and fresh. The two Demons looked around. The large are they were in was identical to the botanical gardens they had been to while they were at the orphanage – up to and including the small waterfall that Harry had used to wash the younglings when they had finished eating their ice-lollies or fruit they had bought with them.

Harry looked around the green grounds with tears in his eyes. "How?"

Draco let a soft smile cover his features as he heard the break in Harry's voice. "Last year Remus told us that you had talked non-stop about this place you had been to. He said that it had stuck in his mind because it had been the first time he could remember you acting carefree. Sev said that he had been there once when he was younger and enjoyed it, so we took him there for his birthday over the summer."

Harry smiled up at his mate with large liquid emerald eyes. "Thank you. You have no idea at how much this means to me."

"I wish that I could take you for real, but I can't – at least, not yet."

Harry smiled. "This is lovely, Draco. Do you want to choose where we'll sit for lunch?"

Draco beamed and took the basket from the black-haired teen before offering his free arm to him. Harry blushed and accepted the arm. Hermione and Blaise exchanged smiles before Blaise copied Draco's example and they followed the couple.

FTLOAGEK

Blaise and Draco watched slack-jawed as their mates started to unpack the food in a practiced dance. Neither of them could believe the amount of food the younger male had made. There were sandwiches of all types, fruit, cold roast meats, salads, cheese, wines, fruit juice, water, ice-lollies, jellies, dips with homemade bread sticks, tortilla chips and vegetables sticks and that was not to mention the large cake that filled the centre of the blanket.

"You really out did yourself this time, Harry," Hermione smiled, taking in the food on display. Harry blushed slightly as he handed everyone a plate, indicating for them to help themselves. The four teens spent the next ten minutes eating in silence.

"What has it been like going to school here?" Hermione asked after her stomach had enough food in it to stop it eating itself.

"It's been … alright, I guess," Blaise answered. "It was strange sharing a room with other at first, but we ended up getting used to it."

"The classes are very interesting – well, most of them are," Draco continued after swallowing. "DADA has been a joke from the very beginning. Our instructors have been ridiculous!"

Blaise snorted. "Well, they were till Remus took over last year. First year we had a stuttering fool who was scared of his shadow, us and the subject. Second year was a blasted peacock hidden in the body of a human being."

"Third year was a wizard who believed himself above the law and he tried teaching us all dark arts instead of Defence against the dark arts. He lost his job the week the week after the Christmas holidays when he cast the Cruciatus Curse on a muggleborn. Forth year was more along the lines of a madhouse with a Professor who thought that a Sniget was the wizarding world's most dangerous beast."

"Fifth year was worse with a member of the ministry as a Professor. She wouldn't allow any of us take a wand into her classroom and she spent most of her time trying to get everyone to agree that those with creature blood were inferior to those without. She didn't last long when the Minister and Board of Governors found out. It may have taken nearly a year to get rid of her, but it was worth it."

"Who is this Tom you were talking about last night?" Blaise asked after a few more mouthfuls.

"Tom is our teacher. He's a snake demon. He's great!" Harry chirped, happily munching on a finger lime. "He's been teaching us the snake language! It's fun!"

Hermione smiled. "Both of us adore Tom. He told us that if it were allowed, he would have adopted us himself. He said that we are to rest for a while and when we have settled in he'll come and talk to us about our lessons."

"We officially completed our education a few weeks ago, but Tom wants to teach us some things that we should have been aware of from birth."

"We think he's just trying to stay friends with us. He seems lonely."

Harry picked up a piece of celery and started to nibble on it. "He's the only member of his family left. He is trying to find more snake demons, but he hasn't yet."

Blaise looked at Harry in confusion. "Is that how he came to by your teacher? He was looking for other of his kind and he found you?"

Harry shook his head. "When a new demon is ready to learn their magic seeks out another demon or demon that it feels comfortable with and who can teach its wielder the best. Rinie and I were unique in that our magic is very similar and we both sort out Tom when we were five. We think that it is because of this that we managed to successfully complete the sibling bond."

Hermione laughed. "Until he arrived he thought the only had one student. He loved it when he discovered that he had two kits to teach. I believe that both of you will love him – even if it is just because he picks on Sirius."

Blaise smirked as he noticed Draco's tongue tip flick over his bottom lip as Harry licked his lips clean of celery juice.

"What are your families like?" Harry asked, eyes blinking innocently at the blonde.

Seeing that his friend was distracted by his mate eating another piece of fruit, Blaise started. "My mother is a lovely woman. She's the one I gained my Dark Elvan heritage from. My biological father was a wood elf. He left mum when he discovered she was pregnant. He's now married to an elf-veela hybrid female who can't give him an heir. He's tried to claim me several times over the years as his heir, but when he left he denied that I was his and when he said that his magic made it so he could say I was his son, but he had no right to claim me.

"Since then she has married a lovely man and I have two younger sisters. One is seven and the other is four. Mum also is expecting twins in three months. We don't know what they are yet, we want it to be a surprise."

Both Harry and Hermione beamed.

"When you next write her, give her our congratulations," Hermione said.

"If she needs help with anything health wise, I may be able to help her," Harry offered shyly. "That is if she doesn't already have a healer."

Blaise looked at Harry incredulously. "You can heal?"

Harry blushed and nodded.

"Harry is a natural healer. Tom taught him all he could before he contacted a healer friend of his. She agreed to help and so she taught Harry once a week. He now has his healer's certificate."

Harry blushed deeper and lowered his head.

"So Draco," Hermione smiled getting the attention off her kitten. "What is your family like? I know we will be meeting them all soon, but I want to hear what you think of them."

Draco smiled. "Well, you already know Remus and Sirius. Remus is kind of like an honorary Uncle and Sirius is my mother's cousin, so he's legitimately my family. Then there is Sev. He and dad were best friends while they were at Hogwarts – even though dad was older by four years. When he had trouble, Sev would go to dad and so they became close. Because of that, dad made him my godfather so I've known him all my life. I think you both would get along with him and I think he'd enjoy your company – after all, there's only so much intelligent conversation you can have with Sirius."

Harry smiled shyly at Draco's attempt at cheering him up.

"My mother,' Draco continued dryly, "is not normally as stupid as she was last night. She isn't of creature inheritance and normally she leaves me to my own devices. When I was younger she was more … motherly, but when I was old enough for dad's lessons, she just stopped. I think it was her way of protecting herself if I decided she wasn't good enough to be her mother.

"Then we have Bella. She is my mother's oldest sister and she is insane! Don't be surprised if she tries mothering you. When Sirius gets over-bearing, threaten him with Bella and he calms down. Mum does have another sister who is better her and Bella in age, but they haven't spoken in nearly twenty three years so I've never met her.

"This brings us to my father. He has to be the most important person in my life so far – followed closely by Severus. Father was always there – no matter how busy he was he always had time to do things with me and mum. Nearly every memory I have of my childhood involves him in one way or another. He showed me that nothing is more important than family – and I want to be as good a father to my children as he was to me."

At this, Harry blushed deeply. "I'm sure that you will be a good father," he smiled shyly.

Draco, Blaise and Hermione smirked. It seemed that Harry's proximity to his dominant was both making him a slight more bolder and less immune to his mate's natural charm.

The next few hours saw the four teens joke around and talk as if nothing could harm them.

FTLOAGEK

Remus chuckled softly as he and a pouting Sirius sat between the Headmaster and the Potions Professor.

"I thought that the two of you would be with our guests," the Headmaster said with a twinkle in his eye.

"What's wrong with the mutt?" Severus murmured at the same time.

Remus chuckled. "Harry and Hermione have gone on a picnic with Draco and Blaise," he answered the Headmaster. He turned to Severus. "Sirius is sulking because he earned himself his first punishment from our Kitten because he made a mess of the kitchen."

Severus' face brightened slightly. "What is his punishment?"

"He's been banned from the kitchen while Harry is in it and he's not allowed to eat with us – or anything Harry cooks – for a week. And if I know Harry, he will be making most of Sirius' favourites to make the punishment worse."

The students in the hall all looked up at the head table in shock as the Potions Master laughed until tears rolled down his face.

FTLOAGEK

The four teens stood in front of the door leading to Remus' rooms.

"We should go back to the Slytherin Common room tonight," Blaise said with a sad smile.

"We will be back first thing in the morning," Draco continued. "With the stuff that is left over from today – bring it with us because we will be going on a tour of Hogwarts – both grounds and castle."

Hermione beamed. "That sounds wonderful! But we might make something new for lunch tomorrow – or we could eat in the Great Hall."

Blaise nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. We will pick you up at seven." He lent forwards and kissed Hermione softly on the cheek.

Harry smiled as he snuggled into Draco's chest. "I'll have breakfast ready and waiting," he said, and with a quick press of his lips to Draco's cheek, he walked into the rooms before them, followed closely by a slightly giggling Hermione.

"See you tomorrow," the two Demons whispered before shutting the door.

Draco and Blaise stood before the closed door with sappy smiles on their faces.

"We'd best go and get some sleep, Draco," Blaise said eventually.

Yes. The sooner we get to sleep, the sooner we can see our mates." The two students made their way back to their common room, smiling dreamily while they remembered their first day with their mates and best friend.


	6. Chapter 5 - Getting to know you day 2

Chapter 5 – Getting To Know You – Day 2

Draco and Blaise were at Remus' door at 6:30 the next day, nervously waiting for the door to be answered.

"Are you sure that anyone will be awake?" Blaise asked for the fourth time. "We said we'd be here at seven."

"It is a well-known fact that the only Professor to sleep past six is Dumbledore." Draco and Blaise jumped at the sound of the cheerful voice coming from the now open door. "Sirius is in his room pouting and marking assignments. Hermione and Harry are meditating in the sitting room and please, forgive the paperwork. I'm trying to get Harry's inheritance in order before I hand it over to him," Remus smiled. "You can come in; Harry and Hermione will be coming round soon and breakfast in nearly ready."

The two boys followed the cheerful wolf into his rooms, only to stop in the doorway. Seated cross-legged on the floor, facing each other and hands linked – were their mates. They watched enthralled as the magic surrounding them pulsed and receded in ever-increasing and decreasing speeds.

Remus watched them with a knowing look on his face. "It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" he asked as he turned to watch the transparent black, silver and gold colours pulsing around the two. "They had to learn to do this before they learnt anything else since even though Demons can use wands, they rarely do."

"We don't use wands because it is very hard to find a core that suits us. Most Demon use wands that have three or more components to their cores: not the normal one that is found in a wizard's wand."

All three males jumped, eliciting a slight giggle from Harry.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Hermione said, giggling softly.

Harry stepped close to Draco and nuzzled into him. "Hi," he smiled, looking into Draco's eyes.

Draco's eyes had turned silver. "Hello Little One," he purred, revealing elongated canines. "You look delightful this morning."

Harry beamed and snuggled into Draco's chest once more before disappearing into the kitchen. Draco sighed happily and turned to watch.

Remus, Hermione and Blaise nearly chocked when they tried suppressing their laughter at the look of devotion and slight hunger in his eyes.

The hunger increased when Harry returned with four glasses with a pink liquid in them and one with a bright red which made everyone's flesh crawl. Harry handed the red on to Draco, then handed the others to the rest.

"I thought since you got here so early, we could have a coursed breakfast," Harry said with a slight blush on his checks and over the bridge of his nose. Draco melted at the shy look on his mate's face.

"It's alright, Harry," Hermione said fighting the urge to squeal happily. "I'm sure they won't mind. It is a big castle after all."

Harry smiled and took a mouthful of his drink. "It's okay; it's only a strawberry, banana and almond meal smoothie. It's yummy."

Draco took a sip of his when the others did – but unlike everyone else, his eyes darkened to the colour of storm clouds. He also managed to drain his glass in what seemed to be one gulp. Silently, Harry poured him another glass, which Draco drank at the same speed as the others.

"What just happened?" Blaise blinked. "What the hell was in that smoothie?"

"It was exactly the same that was in yours except I added some of my blood to it. I guessed that he'd need more and that he wouldn't be comfortable feeding from me when I wasn't freaking out, so I added the same amount that he took the other night and mixed it into his drink."

Blaise looked at Harry in surprise. It was obvious that he had forgotten that his friend had tasted his mate's blood and would need to feed from him once every one or two days. He shook his head and followed the laughing couple to the rest of their meal.

An hour later the four youngsters were ready to leave and after saying goodbye to Remus, the four took off for the castle tour. All four of them were having so much fun walking through the castle and talking to the portraits that they had to run to the Great Hall to make it to the Great Hall in time for lunch.

When they entered, the hall fell silent in shock at the sight of both Slytherin Princes flushed and laughing. The fact that the vampire in Draco had become more pronounced also drew many lust-filled male and female eyes.

As if he knew exactly what was going on in the minds behind those gazes, Harry stepped closer to his mate, seemingly trying to crawl into his skin. Draco glanced down at his mate with a soft smile. He knew that being around so many people was scaring his kitten so he did what his instincts told him to do.

The Hall erupted into life as his fangs pierced his mate's throat. Males yelled in horror, females screamed – whether in jealousy or fear was the most popular question – and the entire Hufflepuff table fainted.

Draco removed his fangs after a few moments and licked the mark he'd made. "Mine!" he whispered possessively, causing Harry to shiver uncontrollably. Up at the head table, Remus was shaking his head in resignation. Severus was smirking while internally jumping like a teenage fan girl who had just discovered slash fan fiction and Sirius was so shocked that, for once, he had nothing to say.

As the Slytherin Princes lead their mates to the table on the far side of the hall, all the Professors who knew Sirius were wishing that Rita Skeeter was there to record the reason why the apocalypse was coming. Oh well – that is what a pensieve was for after all.

Remus and Severus walked towards the teens as they were finishing their salads and they watched in amusement as Harry made sandwiches from whatever food was left on the table after the savages disguised as students had left.

"Can we help you Remus? Professor Snape?" Hermione politely asked, earning herself an extremely rare smile from the Potions Master.

"We were just wondering how your morning was and what your plans for this afternoon are," Severus answered in an almost kind voice, causing the majority of the remaining students to hide under their tables for protection against the Ice that was surely forming in Hell at that very moment.

"Well, we haven't finished looking through the castle yet - we still have the dungeons and the ground to go, so we will be doing those," Blaise answered.

"I promise we won't go into the Potion's room, Sev," Draco added almost hastily.

Severus noticed the spark in Harry's eyes dimed slightly at Draco's words and mentally shook his head. "You may show them the room, Draco," he interrupted, noticing the return of the spark with satisfaction. "I just don't want anything touched in there until I can assess your companion's potions skills. If they pass then they will have free reign like you do."

By this time, Harry's eyes were shining with suppressed excitement.

Remus groaned in mock agony. "You do know that you've just given your word to open your lab to a monster, don't you?" he asked, walking towards the door.

Severus frowned following him. "What do you mean by that Remus? Lupin? STOP IGNORING ME WOLF!"

Draco, Blaise and Hermione laughed while Harry just tilted his head to the left.

"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked when she had calmed down.

Harry smiled at her. "I'm just happy that Remus has found a new pack for himself," he answered. "I know that he has Siri, me and you, but he needed more than just us. I'm glad that he picked right."

The four teens finished their sandwiches in silence, thinking about what had just been said. When the last scrap had been consumed, they stood and made their way down to the dungeons.

An hour later - thanks to a particularly, and oddly, talkative portrait of Salazar Slytherin - the four made their way back to the Entrance Hall. When they reached it, Draco and Blaise groaned. It was raining. It seemed that a storm had come while they were talking to Salazar.

Harry and Hermione just looked at each other and ran out the doors and into the downpour. Draco and Blaise started out in shock. That was not what they had expected. When they had gotten over their shock, they started to laugh. There before them were their mates. Both of them were spinning around on the pavement of the courtyard, laughing and getting soaked.

Hearing their joyous laughter, they did the only thing they could do. They ran into the rain, picked up their perspective mates and spun them around, causing them to shriek with laughter.

Sirius stood before the window in his rooms, watching the rain fall and the four figures on the grounds. He smiled softly when he heard his door open softly. "Hey Moony, what can I do you for?" he whispered, scared of breaking the peaceful silence.

"I just came to see how you were. I think Harry missed you at breakfast. I think he misses you."

Sirius sighed softly and looked back out at the four teens. "I miss him, Remy. I just don't know how to not annoy him. He's so ... so domesticated!"

Remus walked over to his friend and placed his hand on his shoulder. "He's a lot like Lily, isn't he?" He asked with a slight smile as they watched their Kit playing in the rain.

"Yeah, he is. I've never seen Draco smile so much - and before now he would never think of being out in the rain unless he was playing Quidditch."

"You and Lily were nearly inseparable when she wasn't with either James or Severus. Why don't you try treating Harry like you did her?"

Sirius smiled slightly. "Do you think that he would teach me to cook? I swear all I wanted to do when I walked in the kitchen was to help him - I just don't know my way around the implements good enough."

Remus tightened his grip on Sirius' shoulder. "All you can do is ask - and prove to him that you want to learn."

Sirius nodded. "Let's go down and join the youngsters. I want to play too!"

Remus laughed and followed his only remaining brother-in-pranks out of the room.

Harry shrieked when a familiar pair of arms picked him up.

"Hi Kit!" Sirius grinned down at him, black hair stuck to his face by the rain.

"SIRI!" Harry grinned back.

Remus watched them with a slight smile on his face. While they weren't watching, he quickly snapped a photo before joining in with the five people in front of him.

Once again the students were shocked to silence when six water-logged people walked into the hall with large smiles on their faces.

"Don't worry about us," Remus announced. "We just came to drop off a run-away child."

Everyone laughed when Sirius shouted, "Hey!"

After a few quick hugs, Remus and Sirius headed up to the Head table - still soaking wet - while the four teens headed to the Slytherin Table. As the six sat, purple flames rose around them and disappeared, leaving behind six dry, but dishevelled, people. Next they were surrounded by shadows and when they had disappeared they looked as neat as if they had just walked out of the shop.

Once again after the meal, Blaise and Draco walked their mates to Remus' door.

"We had best get to the Common room. We have to get ready for classes tomorrow," Blaise said sadly.

"Will you be coming here for breakfast?" Harry asked bright green eyes wide and innocent.

Draco beamed. "Of course! It wouldn't be a good start to the day if we didn't."

Both Demon gave their mates a hug and a soft kiss to the cheek and walked into the room. After hearing the door close, the two Slytherins left, discussing what they needed to do for the following day. Suddenly Draco stopped.

"I need to talk to the Headmaster about something," he said in answer to Blaise' puzzled look and he vanished in the opposite direction, leaving his friend to shake his head.


	7. Chapter 6 - Getting to know you Day 3-1

Chapter 6 - Getting to know you - Day 3 Part 1

Remus and Sirius were waiting outside Remus' quarters for the two Slytherins at 6:30 the next morning. Draco opened his mouth to ask something, but was beaten to the question by Sirius' answer.

"I'm allowed to eat with you, I just have to cook for myself," the dark-haired man said. "Harry said that he wouldn't allow me to poison myself again," he added with a slight blush.

Draco laughed softly. "Actually, I was going to ask for your permission to remove Harry from Hogwarts for tonight's meal and the same for Blaise with Hermione - but thanks for the blackmail material," he teased gently.

The two men laughed and gave their permission, then followed the two younger males into Remus' rooms.

Thisisaline

Blaise pulled an unresisting Draco through the hallway to their first class. It was taking all his control to not laugh at the slightly dazed and goofy smile on his friends face. He pulled him to the potion's lab door just before it was closed by the Professor.

Severus took one look at his godson and raised an eyebrow. "I am going to assume that you were with your mates and that is what has him like this."

Blaise nodded. "It seems that Harry has warmed to him quite quickly and hugged him goodbye when we left. I think he was a little giddy from that, but I think the pretty green eyes that look too big to fit in his head looking at him with the 'I'll miss you so come back soon" did him in."

Severus chuckled softly. "Please put that memory into a pensieve for me. That I have to see!"

Blaise smirked. "Did you also want the one of Draco playing in the rain?"

Before either of them could blink, Blaise was pinned against the opposite side of the hall.

"That is a very special memory of mine, Blaise. I will NOT have you cheapen it by offering it to everyone we see. Do I make myself clear?"

Blaise and Severus nodded, both shocked at the way Draco had reacted.

"When I am ready to share that memory, I will share it with those I feel deserve it!" Draco let go of Blaise's throat and stormed into the room, a silent and shocked Blaise following him. Severus made a mental not to put that memory into a pensieve and call for Lucius to join him in viewing it - but first, he had a class to teach.

Thisisaline

Hermione turned the page of her book, absentmindedly patting the kitten on her lap, which was purring its head off. Harry had transformed to his kitten form and climbed onto her lap just after Remus and Sirius had left, and they hadn't moved once in the past two hours.

"Harry, Sweetie?" Hermione said softly to the dozing kitten. "Can you wake up? I want to talk to you about something and I think you want to talk to me as well," she added with a small smile.

Harry shadowed away and returned in human form with a tray of tea, lemon, milk, sugar and a plate of warm mini apple cinnamon muffins. He took his seat after serving Hermione, then himself. "What did you want to talk about, Rinie?" he asked.

Hermione couldn't help but smile. "I wanted to talk about our mates, of course." She grinned, seeing the light in her brother's eyes grow brighter at the prospect of talking about his mate.

"Okay Rinie. What do you think of Blaise?" Harry giggled slightly, feeling as if he was a school girl setting her friend up with the new guy in school.

Hermione smiled. "He is a very charming young man," she started. "He is fun to be around and very good looking." She blushed slightly. "He seems to be intelligent and I can converse with him easily without needing to stop and explain what I am saying every two minutes." She stopped to have a few sips of her tea and to nibble delicately on a muffin. She hummed in pleasure at the sweet spiciness as it covered her tongue.

I feel comfortable around him," she continued after a while. "I trust him even though I don't know him very well and I feel safe with him. I feel the connection we have as mates and I am drawn to him, I'll admit that," she confessed, "but I also know that I do not love him – not yet anyway. I need to spend more time with him to talk and get to know him. I know we've had the past two days with them, but I need more time alone with him, you know?"

Harry nodded his understanding with a smile on his face.

"So, what do you think of him?" she asked.

Harry's smile widened slightly. "I like him. From what I've seen he is very polite and understanding. He hasn't once become jealous because of me when you focus on me when he is around and he hasn't insisted on you leaving me when he and Draco are here." Harry took a few sips of tea, thinking.

"I can't say that I trust him with myself yet, but I do trust him to take care of you when you need it. I have heard from Remy and Siri that he is intelligent and what I've seen of him so far supports that. I'm sure that the attraction you feel for each other will eventually turn to love."

Hermione smiled. "I'm sure it will. Now, tell me what you think of Draco."

Harry beamed. "I like him! I really, really do! He's cute and cuddly and nice and he smells good!"

Hermione giggled softly. "You do know that you just described a vampire as 'cute and cuddly' don't you, Sweetie?"

Harry blushed. "So? He is."

Hermione laughed. "Not many others would think so – but you are probably right. So, what else do you have to say about him?"

Harry's eyes became slightly unfocused as he thought over the last few days. "He is very ... intense. He is very gentle and extremely possessive. I feel safe with him and I want to submit to him. I feel the pull to mate and it scares me slightly, but I can see that he is holding himself back. I don't think he knows that I am not yet of age, but he still is fighting the urge so as not to scare me."

Harry stopped to think, not noticing the worried look on Hermione's face. It wasn't well known that harry wasn't yet seventeen and for him to be feeling the pull for mating, something had to be wrong. She decided to write to Tom about it and turned her attention back to her kitten.

"I trust him, Rinie. I can tell that I will be happy with him and once he claims me, I will relax. The trouble is I want him to claim me NOW! Every time I see him I want to reveal my readiness to mate, but I hold it in. I am not going to mate until Tom can meet him. Other than that, I think he is wonderful company who has the intelligence to keep up with us. What do you think of him?"

Hermione chuckled at the unsure tone to Harry's voice. "I think he is a lovely person. He is absolutely dedicated to you and he is very polite. He is intelligent, but he isn't obsessed with it like I can be. He will be good for you, Sweetie, though I agree with you about not going further then hugging and feeding him until Tom can meet him."

Harry beamed at her and snuggled into her side. "I'm glad you like him, Rinie."

Hermione smiled. "I've got a letter to write, Sweetie. Did you want to go back to sleep or read?"

Harry looked at the time. "I think I'll start making lunch and something for tomorrow night for dinner – How do you feel about steak and kidney pie?"

Hermione said that the pie sounded wonderful and a sandwich for lunch before walking into Remus' study to write her letter while Harry left for the kitchen.

Thisisaline

Remus, Sirius, Blaise and Draco arrived at the rooms at the same moment. Inhaling deeply, Sirius' stomach growled hungrily. "I hope that is lunch!" he said enthusiastically.

"It isn't," Harry said, grinning as he stepped from the shadows. "It is for dinner tomorrow night – and even if it was for now, you wouldn't be eating it, or have you already forgotten?"

Sirius pouted.

"You will be allowed to join us tomorrow night though, so stop pouting," Hermione announced from behind them, causing them all to jump. "Harry decided to cook instead of sleep while I wrote a letter to our mentor. We promised to send him a letter every two or three days." She stretched, showing off her flat stomach as her shirt rose a little with her movements. "I wouldn't be surprised if he turns up when Beelzebub gives him the letter," she smirked lightly. "He'd particularly be interesting in Draco and Blaise. He'd feel as if it was his job to interrogate the mates of his self-proclaimed family. What did you make for lunch, Harry? I'm staved!"

Harry led an enthusiastic Hermione and a laughing Sirius and Remus into the room, leaving two wide-eyed Slytherins out in the corridor.

Thisisaline

Blaise struggled to keep from laughing as he watched a frantic Draco rummaged through his closet.

"Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?" he murmured.

Blaise lost his fight and rolled off the bed.

"Oh blow it out your besom!" Draco growled as he threw one of his robes onto the floor. "I can't find my good robes! I can't go out like this!"

Blaise forced himself to calm down. "Calm down Draco! You didn't bring your best robes with you, remember? We didn't think we would need them this year, so it is no wonder you can't find it. You look very striking in black, so why don't you wear the grey shirt with the Acromentula silk woven into it with your black velvet robes. Put your hair in the same style as your father's and you will be beating the public off with a stick!"

"But I don't want to impress the public! I want to impress Harry," Draco whined.

Blaise shook his head. "I have a feeling that if you turned up in wet, muddy rags, Harry would look at you the same way as if you wore robes that were made especially for you. It isn't what you wear, or how much money you have that impresses him. It's you."

Draco smiled. "Thanks Blaise – I know all this, but it's always good to make doubly sure." He looked down at himself, only just realising his state of undress. "Now that you've proven yourself useful, you can leave so I can dress!"

Blaise laughed and walked out of the room.

Thisisaline

When the portrait guarding the entrance to Remus' rooms announced that Blaise and Draco were at the door, Sirius leapt to invite them in. He and Remus – even though they knew both boys – had decided to pull the 'over-protective parent' act. Neither of them could wait!

Thisisaline

Draco started when the door opened to reveal Sirius. He immediately noticed the spark in the Marauder's eye and he felt the urge to run and hide under his bed. This was the perfect opportunity for Sirius and Remus to reveal their inner pranksters – and he had a feeling that it would be rather painful for him and Blaise.

Thisisaline

Blaise and Draco silently led a giggling Harry and Hermione out onto Hogwarts' grounds.

"I don't ever want to go through that again,' Blaise announced when they were a safe distance from the main building.

"Me either." Draco shakily agreed, not missing the looks Harry and Hermione exchanged. "What was that about?"

"Maybe you should think of what just happened as a practice run," Hermione began.

"Because Tom will be much worse than that," Harry continued. "Remus and Sirius know you, so they know what you are like. They also don't see us as their children – Tom does."

Both Demons stepped in close to their mates so they could side-long apparate. Neither of them noticed the frantic, almost pleading looks their mates exchanged before both couple disappeared with a loud CRACK!


	8. Chapter 7 - Getting to know you Day 3-2

Chapter 7 – Getting to know you Day 3 Part 2

Harry looked around him in awe, not yet realising that Blaise and Hermione weren't with them. They were in a restaurant high in the sky, with a wondrous view of a waterfall at dusk. It wasn't until he turned around to admire the 360 degree view that he noticed the missing couple.

"This is wonderful Draco," Harry smiled, tilting his head slightly to the left. "But … where's Rinie?"

Draco bit his lip nervously. "Blaise and I decided to take you to different restaurants. Is that a problem?"

Harry beamed. "No, it's not a problem. I think this will be lovely!"

Draco smiled and extended his arm with a slight bow. He felt his heart jolt when – instead of resting his hand on the extended limb – Harry wrapped his arm around it and shyly looked into his face.

"I ordered ahead. I hope you don't mind," Draco murmured as a waiter appeared to seat them.

Harry looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. "You already ordered?"

Draco nodded his rising distress evident in his eyes.

"Thank you!" Harry beamed. "I never know what to order because it all just sounds so good." He blushed slightly. "Before I was old enough to cook, Rinie and Mama Figg had to put food on my plate or I wouldn't have eaten anything at all. I really dislike making most decisions."

Draco almost slumped in relief. "Don't worry. Any decisions that come up will be handled by me if you don't want anything to do with it." He was rewarded by a beaming smile and a throat being cleared.

"Your table Sir."

"Thank you Alexander. Would we be able to get a jug of chilled water with lemon to go with our starters? And don't rash through service; we have permission to be here."

The waiter smiled and bowed slightly. "As you wish, young sir."

Harry blushed as Draco pulled a seat out and indicated for him to sit. As he watched Draco sit and smile at him, he felt himself fall for the blonde vampire harder and faster than he had been before.

linelinelineline

Harry took a sip of his water, fully relaxed in the company he was in.

"Tell me about yourself," Draco ventured with a soft smile.

Harry laughed. "Are you up for a game of twenty questions?"

Draco looked up from the newly arrived plate of appetizers in confusion. "What is 'twenty questions'?"

Harry looked at the plate before him and poked the thing sitting on it. "It's a muggle game that children play – but don't let that put you off, it is a good way of getting to know someone," he answered when he was convinced the unknown blob was either dead or had never lived. "Normally one person will ask twenty questions that the other must answer truthfully before asking their twenty questions, but I prefer one person asking a question that both parties answer and discuss before the other person does the same."

Draco thought about it while he watched Harry prod the food before him once more.

"Alright," he smiled eventually. "We'll do it." He watched as the blob was poked again. "Don't you like tomato jelly?"

Harry looked up, beaming. "I've never seen tomato jelly before … and I like watching it dance on the plate." He blushed slight as Draco chuckled deeply. "You can ask the first question."

Draco calmed enough to start his entrée, encouraging Harry to also start eating. "I'm going to start simple. What is your favourite colour?"

Harry licked the spoon clean, purring in delight. "I like most colours, but my favourite has to be grey."

"Why?"

Harry smiled softly. "It started when I was very young. I would always react more to the darker - most would say duller – colours. Not surprising since I'm a Shadow elemental," he paused for a moment to sip some water. "I was always harder to control when the storm clouds came. Mama Figg would try her best to keep me inside when the weather turned bad, but she never had much success. In the end she just allowed me out with Rinie. It wasn't until I was seven or eight that I classified anything other than storm clouds as being grey. I think it was also because I didn't see in colour until I was four and people's aura's are simply beautiful in black, white and grey. How about you?" Harry looked at his plate and blinked. He hadn't realised that he had been eating as he spoke.

Draco chuckled softly at the bemused look on his mate's face. "Mine are the darker shades of green and blue. I find them very calming since they remind me of my favourite place." He smiled softly. "I remember the first time I was taken to one of our holiday houses. It was close to a large inland lake and the water it held was so deep that the water rivalled an emerald in colour. It was almost the exact same colour of your eyes. Add that to a blue on blue sky and you have heaven. Ever since then, I have calmed around those colours."

Harry smiled. "When is your favourite time of day?"

Draco got a thoughtful look on his face. "Either dawn or dusk. The sky is just simply full of the most glorious colours and everything is quiet and still, with the exception of a bird or two. It allows you the chance to breathe deeply and seek tranquillity."

Harry laughed softly. "You just unknowingly almost quoted something form my favourite book," he explained once he saw the slightly hurt and confused look on Draco's face. "My favourite time of day is midnight. It marks the end of one day and the beginning of another. Everything seems to happen at midnight – witching hour starts, Father Christmas, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny and other important childhood creatures are believed to turn up at that time and in fairy tales, Cinderella's fairy godmother's magic ends. It makes sense to me that all these things occur at this time, since everything seems to hold its breath as midnight approaches. Even the Earth itself seems to slow in its movement, just waiting for something to happen."

Draco mentally shook himself. "You have a beautiful way with words. You had me spellbound."

Harry blushed lightly.

Draco nodded at Alexander as he collected the dirty plates and set down covered bowls. The bowls were uncovered to reveal a clear soup full of fresh young vegetables.

"What is your favourite book and why is it your favourite? Mine is Macbeth by Willian Shakespeare. It is wonderfully written and I find it very easy to relate to the characters and it reveals the depth of darkness that can be found in a human. My favourite section is:

"'Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck,

Till though applaud the deed. Come seeling Night,

Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful Day,

And with thy bloody and invisible hand

Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond

Which keeps me pale. Light thickens,

And the crow makes wing to th' rooky wood:

Good things of Day begin to dropp and drowse,

Whiles Night's black agents to their preys do rouse.

Thou marvell'st at my worlds; but hold thee still,

Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill.

So, prithee, go with me.'

"From the very first moment I read that, I've had it in my head. I don't know why it speaks to me but I'm guessing that it has something to do with me being what I am and who I am. I have even found myself whispering it to myself when things get hard to bear."

"Mine is Dinotopia by James Gurney. I love the way it is written and I love the illustrations. It is full of hope, light and laughter, but there is that darker undertone to it as well. My favourite things from it are that the words for a close friendship and marriage are the same and that is how I feel. If you are in a relationship – married or otherwise – then you should be the best of friends as well," he blushed slightly. "My other favourite part is what they say as a farewell. One is Breathe Deep, Seek Peace and the other is Breathe Deep, Fly High. I find that if you take the words to heart, then you do feel much calmer and more accepting."

"You will have to show it to me one day," Draco smiled.

Harry smiled shyly and pushed his half-empty bowl away

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Draco sipped his tea, watching Harry do the same. They had completed their meal and both of them were down to their last question. This required a good deal of thought.

"If you could be anyone for a day, who would you choose and why?" he asked. "I would choose either Father or Sev. Both of them are decent, hard-working men. I would have trouble picking between them because they are the two who are most responsible for who I am today."

Harry smiled thoughtfully. "I'd probably choose to be Tom. He can be scary, but he has a heart of gold. He always is there to help people and I think it would be nice to be him and help him find more of his kind after everything that he has done for me and Rinie." He took a sip of his tea, looking out at the moonlit waterfall. "It's so peaceful here," he murmured.

Draco smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I hoped that you would. Did you want to move to the lounges?" he chuckled softly when Harry nodded excitedly. "Let's move everything over there – it might be more comfortable."

Draco made himself comfortable on the long sofa. He was hoping – but not expecting - that Harry would sit beside him. He held his breath as Harry sat beside him and curled his legs underneath himself. He was close enough that Draco could feel his body heat and he felt his heart rate increase.

"What do you want for the future Draco?" Harry asked softly.

Draco blinked and looked deep within himself. "I've never really thought of it before, to be honest." He said softly. "Until my inheritance hit me, I just assumed that I would take over from Father when he wanted to retire. Since I got my inheritance, however," he shook his head slowly. "All I could think of was finding my mate and even though I have you, you are still so new to me that all I want to do is spend time with you and when I'm not with you, all I can think about is getting back to your side."

He took a sip of his cooled tea. "If I had to answer immediately, I would say that I don't know what I would like to do once I leave school, but I do know that I want to work." He looked up into a pair of brilliant green eyes. "I also know that I want to be able to provide for my family – when the time comes."

He smiled internally as the eyes brightened at the mention of family. "I've always wanted my own family. I'm not sure if I'll have more than one child though since no one else in my family has in the past three centuries. I'd love a large horde and if need be, I'll adopt."

He stopped to see his mate beaming at him and before he could react, he found a warm body cuddled closely to his side.

"I'd like to be a healer. I already have my Master Healer's certificate. I like looking after people and I have a knack for it," Harry whispered beside Draco's ear. "I also would like a large family. I wouldn't mind adopting," he looked up at Draco from beneath eyelids lowered in shyness. "I will be very happy to carry as many children as you wish to sire."

Looking into the earnest eyes before him, Draco mentally and magically forced the urge to claim his mate deep into his mind. He had been very surprised to discover that Harry was a year younger than him and while upset that he couldn't claim his mate for another 11 months, he was very happy that it gave them time to work on the more important part of their relationship.

Harry, unaware of the mental fight Draco was having, snuggled into the Vampire's side with his blood-temperature tea clasped in his hands. He couldn't wait to introduce his mate to Tom!

linelinelineline

Draco and Harry walked through Hogwarts' corridors in a comfortable silence. When they had reached Remus' door, they stopped and faced each other – neither of them aware of the highly narrowed eyes focussed intently on them.

"Thank you for the wonderful meal, Draco," Harry said shyly. "I really enjoyed getting to know more about you."

Draco smile with a gentleness in his eyes that would only ever appear for his submissive. "I've enjoyed getting to know you as well, Harry. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning." He bit his lower lip softly in thought. "I have tomorrow morning free," he said softly. "Would it be possible for me to bring my things here so I can be with you and do my assignments?"

Harry smiled brightly. "I don't mind. I have some letters to write, so I can do them while you do your work."

The eyes watching them narrowed further when their owner heard this.

"I'll also bring along my copy of Macbeth. I hope you can find your Dinotopia book. I would love to see it."

Harry beamed. "I would love to hear you read Macbeth. I know where Dinotopia is as well," he blushed. "I would love to share it with you, if there is time."

Draco smiled. "There will always be time for you in my schedule, Kitten," he chuckled softly at Harry's blush, than he sighed. "If I am to be here at the right time, I had best be going to the common-room to prepare." He lowered his head and placed a soft, innocent kiss to the top of Harry's head before holding his hand out with his fingers fully spread. "Breathe Deep," he said softly.

Harry smiled and placed a not-quite-there kiss onto the blonde's cheek before placing his smaller hand against Draco's. "Seek Peace," he whispered before heading to the door.

Draco waited until the door had closed behind his mate before turning to leave, still not aware of the eyes that were now watching him, wide with surprise.


	9. Chapter 8 - Introductions All Round

Chapter 8 – Introductions all round

Remus frowned and put his tea down as a knock on his door echoed around the room.

"Who in the world would be calling at this time of night?" he murmured to himself, glancing at the clock. He opened the door.

"Tom?" he asked incredulously. "What are you doing here? Did you know that it is half-past one in the morning? How did you get here in the first place? For that matter – Why are you here?"

Tom narrowed his hazel eyes. "My kits are here, I know what the time is, I apparated and I got a disturbing letter this evening from my little Princess about my young Prince and I intend to oversee this previously unforeseen problem personally. Now, I am exceedingly tired, so I will just show myself the room holding my kits. I will be awake for this breakfast I have learned of and then I will talk to Mione and her mate. I expect you to be in the room with Harry and his mate until I am finished with Mione. I will then talk with Harry's mate." He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in a move so Hermione that Remus felt – and fought - the desire to laugh.

'So that is where she learnt it,' Remus thought with a mental grin.

"I trust that you, Hermione and the Mutt will be able to keep Harry occupied during this time?"

Remus nodded and moved aside, allowing the Demon to enter his rooms. "I can promise that we will try. You know what he is like with those he classifies as his. It might be prudent for both you and Hermione to order him to stay with us."

Tom smirked. "Neither I nor Hermione will be telling him to sit and stay." He nodded once at the stunned lycanthrope and walked confidently into the room holding the two younger Demons, shutting the door behind him.

Linelinelinelineline

Remus and Sirius waited outside Remus' rooms with slightly fearful hearts. They felt their hearts contract when they saw the two boys walking towards them. They heaved a sigh of relief when the dark, greased head of the Potions Master appeared behind the two boys. They had another person to try to keep their kitten occupied while Tom interrogated Draco.

"Do the two of you normally wait for guest outside your quarters?" Severus asked them with a raised eyebrow.

"We have a ... slight complication," Sirius muttered, keeping one eye on the door to Remus' rooms and the other on the boys.

"What type of complication?" Severus drawled wandering what could cause the two strong men before him to be nervous.

Remus and Sirius couldn't help their eyes flicking to first one boy, then the other.

The teens exchanged glances and sighed.

"Tom is here, isn't he?" Draco asked only slightly paler than normal.

The two ex-Gryffindors nodded.

"It had to happen sometime," Blaise said softly, looking at his vampiric friend.

"Yes, and I'm happy that it is sooner rather than later. I have a feeling that if he had arrived in a weeks' time, I would not take too kindly to a perceived threat to my right to my mate." He looked Remus in the eye. "Did he give you a timetable as to what is going to occur this morning?"

Once again Remus nodded.

"Breakfast first, and then he wants to talk to Hermione and Blaise – with me staying in the same room as you and Harry. Then he wants to talk to you ... Alone."

Draco nodded. "I was expecting so."

"Sirius, Hermione and I are to stop Harry from interrupting the two of you. We have also been warned that neither Tom nor Hermione will be telling Harry to stay away."

"A test," Draco sounded un-surprised.

He and Blaise exchanged looks once more. They had known that their interrogations would be different due to the differences in their nature. As one, they bowed to a shocked Remus and Sirius. "We understand and accept these terms. Do we have permission to enter?"

With a blink of the eye, Sirius and Remus turned and lead the way into the room. Before Draco could enter the room, he was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"So you mind explaining to me why you are so calm about this?" Severus asked his normally easily stressed godson.

"I realised something last night while conversing with Harry over our evening meal,' he started, eyes slightly unfocused as he remembered the moment.

Severus waited, absent-mindedly noticing his question had gained the attention of Remus, Sirius Blaise and a dark haired man he had never seen before. He noticed all of them were waiting for the answer to the question he was going to ask.

"What was it that you realised?"

Draco looked Severus in the eye. "I realised that Mr Riddle had taken to place of Harry's father – in both his eyes and in Harry's eyes. That got me thinking about something Harry and I discussed last night in a getting-to-know-you game we played. Both of us wish for a large family. All I had to do was think about what I will do when any of my future children bring home a boyfriend, girlfriend or mate to meet the rest of their family." He smiled softly, eyes going slightly unfocused once more.

"And even though this may be hard for you to understand at the moment since you haven't spent any time with him, but if it meant I could keep him happy and in my life, I would face this type of interrogation every day for the rest of my life. Harry is more than worth it."

Severus nodded thoughtfully and noticed that the unknown man pulled back into the room with an oddly thoughtful look on his face.

Anotherlineanotherlineanotherline

Hermione took a sip of the tea before her while watching the dark-haired teen before her. Harry was making French toast – Tom's favourite breakfast – for everyone that morning, but she could tell that her brother's hands were shaking.

"What's the matter Sweetie? Aren't you happy to see Tom?"

Harry moved to the table to beat the egg, milk and spice mixture so he could talk with Hermione.

"I love seeing Tom again, Rinie. It's just," he sucked the corner of his bottom lip into his mouth and chewed it gently. "It's just that he's going to want to question Draco and he gets overprotective so I don't know how it is going to go. Tom and Draco are both dominants, meaning they will clash and I don't want that." He lowered his head as tears of frustration and fear trickled down his cheeks.

"How do I act around Draco now that Tom's here, Rinie? I want to treat him the same as I have every morning since I've been here – but what will Tom do to him if I do?"

He returned to the bench where he started soaking bread in the egg mixture.

Hermione watched him with a slight stab of guilt to her heart. She knew that it was her letter that bought Tom here almost a month earlier than he had planned. She went and wrapped her arms around her kit's waist, resting her chin on his shoulder, watching his movements but somehow not hindering them.

"Pretend that Tom isn't here, Sweetie," she whispered, "if your heart tells you to greet Draco the way you have been for the past two days, than do so. You have nothing to fear."

Harry smiled and snuggled slightly into his big sister. "Thank you Rinie."

Hermione smiled and pulled Harry closer to her and tickled the young man's sides, causing him to start giggling.

yetanotheroneyetanotheroneyetanotherone

Tom stood in the shadows, watching the way his kits interacted with the new comers. His eyes widened when he saw how his youngest pupil greeted his mate and he almost chocked when the blonde's hidden heritage revealed itself. He chuckled when Harry and Hermione were introduced to the dark-haired man and he blinked in surprise as Harry and Hermione started to speak.

"We have someone we want to introduce you to as well," Harry said shyly.

"Don't worry," Hermione assured their guests as they paled, "his bark is worse than his bite."

Harry's eyes twinkled with so much mischief that even Sirius took several steps backwards. "That is only in his human form though. In his animal form he doesn't bark and is quick to bite."

Hermione smirked. "Tom, you can stop hiding now."

Draco, Blaise and Severus gulped as a tall, dangerous-looking man stepped from the shadows.

"Good morning, Gentlemen," he purred, power in every word. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Harry smiled up at the man as he laid a hand on his shoulder. "Breakfast is ready and waiting. I made French toast with maple syrup and mixed berries."

Tom smiled, revealing small, sharp teeth. "That sounds delightful. How about we let Remus and the Mutt lead the way – Give them the illusion that they are in charge."

Draco and Blaise exchanged looks, eyes sparkling with humour when their mates giggled and agreed, much to Sirius and Remus' consternation. They could tell that they would enjoy Tom's company ... If they survived his over-protective parent routine that is.

Severus followed his godson into the dining area with a smirk on his face. Life was definitely becoming more interesting with the arrival of the two – now three- Demon, and he could tell it was just going to get more interesting as time went on.

andonemoreandonemoreandonemore

Remus watched as Harry started to clear the table.

"What are you going to do this morning Kit?" he asked.

"I've got letters to write to Mama Figg, Aidan, Kitara, Lannie, Laurie, Twiggy, Miss Gramnan, Hannah, Buzz, Sidney, Adalaide …"

Remus chuckled. "Ok kitten, I get the point. Where are you going to be doing this?"

Harry paused in thought. "Draco asked if he could do his assignments here and I want to be in the same room as him – but I also need to be in the same room as the Professor so I can get to know him and Tom most probably made sure that you and Siri knew that he would be most displeased if one of you wasn't with me at all times when Draco was in the same room as me –"

A chocking noise bought everyone's eyes to a red-faced snake-Demon. "What gave you that idea Kit?" he chocked, trying to cough the tea in his lungs out.

"I just know you. The time I started at the school, you ordered Sam that he wasn't allowed to let me leave his sight – even though Rinie was going to be there and he was 4 years ahead of me, so he couldn't stay with me all the time." The black-haired teen smiled. "I just thought you'd like an example before you rejected it as a falsehood."

He turned to Remus. "That leaves only the sitting room and the dining room. I'm guessing we should stay here – considering that it isn't fair to ask anyone to do their work on an unstable surface."

Remus chuckled. "I'll sit at this end with my marking. You can sit on one side of me and Draco on the other. Where and what are you going to do Severus?"

"I did what you suggested and bought some of my marking to do, as well as some of my personal journals and some of the older Potions magazines. I will sit two or three seats away from Draco – depending on how much room he is going to need for his books."

"Speaking of books," Draco started, "where will be the best place to enlarge my library chest Remus?"

As Remus and Harry helped Severus and Draco with their stuff, Tom indicated for Hermione and Blaise to follow him form the room.

IdidntrealiseIhadsomanyoftheseinthisstory

Tom took the seat behind Remus' desk and steepled his hands. Looking between Hermione and the child before him, he tapped his fingers lightly against his lips. Coming to a decision, he turned to Hermione. "Are you going to introduce us?"

Hermione hid her smirk. She knew that as her mate, Blaise would be dealing with some frightening things – but nothing would be as scary as Tom in one of his moods.

"Milord, this is Blaise Zabini, the resident dark elf of Hogwarts' Slytherin House. Blaise, this is Lord Tom Riddle of the Hells Pit Snake Demon Clan and my father in all but name."

Blaise bowed deeply in respect. "Milord."

Tom took a deep, steadying breath in an attempt to relieve the pressure he felt in his chest when Hermione had acknowledged him as her father. "Please, have a seat," he waited until both teens were comfortable. "Now Mr Zabini, what are your intentions towards my little Princess?"

Blaise straightened in the chair and looked Tom in the eye, ignoring the eye roll that Hermione sent the older demon.

"At the moment it is my intension to befriend Hermione. It is my overall intension to bond with her and share my life with her, but before that I wish to know what her mind is like. I got the chance to start last night and I liked what I discovered. She is not only beautiful, but she has a wonderful personality and a sharp mind and I can see myself spending the rest of my life in discussions and debates with her." He stopped, thoughtfully chewing on his tongue.

"As a part-elf, it is my duty to love and protect my mate – my nature will allow me to do nothing less. Me doing anything to harm her – emotionally, physically or elsewise – is against everything my mother taught me and I will do all in my power to prove my worth."

"You bought up the fact that it is your duty to love and protect your mate, but you said nothing about family. This concerns me greatly."

Blaise nodded, organising his thoughts. "The reason I did not mention family was because I am not yet ready for a family of my own and I said as much to Hermione last night. The reasons for this is my mother is with twins and she is going to need all the help I can provide her with for the first couple of years as she has had ... complications ... through this pregnancy. It may seem selfish of me, but I do not want to put my mate through a pregnancy that I may not be there to help with if my mother, step-father or younger siblings need me."

"How many children do you want?"

"Two or three: I love children, but I don't think I could handle more than three. I will be helping with the rearing of my children – but when I am at work, Hermione will be watching them by herself and I do not want her to overdo anything. I want her to enjoy her time with our family, not think it is a chore."

Tom nodded, thinking over the wording of his next question.

"I know you do not have a job at the moment, so instead, I will ask about the results you get here – I will be checking with some of your teachers as well, so be truthful."

"I am in the top five students of my year level in most of my classes with the only student who always gets higher marks than me is my best friend. For the first two years after school, I am going to be an intern at the business my step-father owns. After those two years, I am going to be going to another company to complete my internship and then I am going to work my way up the ladder the same way everyone else does. When my father dies, I am going to inherit his business so I want to be able to understand everyone who works in the positions throughout the business. I am NOT going to be some rich boy who gets on in life on the coattails of my family. I am going to earn my position, even if it means I have to clean the company toilets with a toothbrush by hand for the first three months."

"What about sex."

Both Hermione and Blaise blushed in mortification at the bluntness of the question.

"Well? I'm waiting."

Blaise inhaled deeply. "The one thing that everyone knows about dark elves is that we have a high sexual appetite. That is true – but the one thing they don't know is we don't develop that appetite until a year after we bond with our mates. The bond has several stages. The first is the acceptance – which occurred the first night we met. Second is the data-collecting stage – better known as the dating stage. This lasts for between one and four years. This is followed by the bonding ceremony. It is after this that any type of physical contact that is counted as sex will be initiate."

"And what type of contact is that?" Tom asked dryly, sneering at the boy.

"Anything beyond holding hands, hugging, snuggling and a basic lips touching kiss."

Tom felt his muscles relax and allowed himself to smile at the still tensed lad before him. "I agree to these terms –"

"Not that you had a choice," Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes.

Tom glared at her, only to be on the receiving end of an air-born kiss. He sighed and shook his head in mock-sadness. "These younglings have made me soft. Before them my glares could melt steal, now I just get blown kisses and pinched cheeks saying how cute I am."

Blaise felt his jaw drop as Hermione giggled softly.

"Your glares are the same Tom – they just don't work on me and Harry. And if you don't want your cheeks pinched then you shouldn't act like a child in front of Harry while he is in one of his mothering moods."

Tom chuckled. "Very true Hermione. Now, Mr Zabini, I take it that you and my other kit's mate are best friends. Tell me about him – and I want to know what this … situation … was the first day you arrived."

"When we arrived here, Harry was intrigued by the fact his mate was here and he walked towards him when …"

Thisisnumberwhat?

Draco shut his potions text with a groan and massaged his temples with his fingers.

"Are you frustrated Draco?" Severus smirked at his godson, "Your assignment too much for you to handle?"

Draco glared at his Professor then sighed. "I think I have a headache and with Remus fidgeting the way he is I can't concentrate."

"It is full moon in a week," Harry's quiet voice was only just audible over the sound of the scratching of his quill on the parchment before him. "That is why Remi is behaving the way he is." The young man placed his quill onto a piece of blotting paper and looked at the restless teacher beside him.

"How have the last two full moons been for you Remy?"

Remus jumped, shaken out of his throughs. "Not too good, Kitten. I was restless beforehand and in more pain than usual during and afterwards – even with the wolfsbane potion. I just don't know what is different!"

Harry looked at the man sternly. "I think I know. You haven't been drinking the tea I created for you."

Draco sniggered at the guilty look on the were's face. Severus frowned.

"What tea was this? Lupin you know better than to drink something that could react with the potion I give you!"

Harry bristled in indignation. "I know what I am doing, Mr Snape," he snapped, shadows dancing in his eyes. "I have been treating Remus for his condition ever since I was old enough to understand that a nap wouldn't cure his crankiness – and I'll have you know that this was several years before this wolfsbane potion was invented. I was the one who had to treat him while on his special assignment with Siri when he was not allowed to have access to that potion and the moment I learnt of him taking it, I had him deliver the recipe to me so I would be able to see if it would react with the tea I had him on. It didn't, so I continued making it for him, ensuring that he didn't have it for at least two hours before the potion since tea – unlike potions – leave the system after one and a half to two hours, so do not start any accusations until you know the facts – which means SOCIALISING with the person's healer."

Ignoring the stunned look on the potion's master's face, Harry turned his glare onto the red-face Remus.

"And you should be ashamed of yourself. I have been all over these rooms of yours and I have not had one sniff of the tea I make specifically for my were-friends. This means that you have not had any in stock for at least three months. There is no – I repeat – NO reason for you to have run out since I am the one to make it for you and I don't need payment for it. What have you got to say for yourself?"

Remus lowered his eyes from the cross-armed figure before him. "I couldn't get in contact with you," he murmured.

A sliver of shadow flashed across Harry's face. "Do not lie to me Remus John Lupin," he hissed, eyes sparkling dangerously. "You have seen me every weekend so you could have asked me then. If not, you could have faxed, phoned, written, owled, flooed, sent a patronus or apparated to where I was. Let's also not forget that had you not had time, Sirius would have come to pick it up, had he know you were running low."

Remus put his face into his hands, knowing it was pointless to resist talking to the boy who had named himself his healer, but he didn't want to verbalise what was going through his head.

"I'm waiting Remus."

"I – I don't know."

The answer sounded weak, even to him.

A hand touching his shoulder made him look into a pair of large green eyes. He gulped.

"You do know Remy. And I'm going to tell you what I know is happening. You are using your transformations as a punishment for what you did when you went undercover. Isn't that right?"

Remus nodded, teary-eyed. "Yeah," he whispered painfully.

"Then stop it!" Harry started to run his fingers through Remus' hair, being careful not to dig his claws into the scalp. "You need to talk to someone – so go make an appointment with a mind healer. If you are uncomfortable talking to a stranger, then talk to me or Rinie. You know that I passed that course as part of my healer's certificate and Rinie did hers for something to do."

He stopped and used a napkin to wipe the tears from Remus' face. "You are the kindest person I've ever met, Remy. You deserved so much more than what they did to you and I want you to believe you are worth more than that. Now, I am going to get you a tea and a drink for the rest of us, they you will be going to your room and either nap or relax and think over what you are going to do. Whatever you decide, you come to me and I'll sort it out for you."

With one more push of his hand through Remus' hair, he disappeared into the kitchen.

"What just happened?" Draco asked. "I think I just witnessed my gentle, shy mate scold my godfather – who just happens to be the most feared Professor at this school – and a werewolf when the full moon is close and they act like they were caught with their hands in the cookie jar after being told they can't have one!"

"That was my kit in one of his mothering moods," a voice chuckled. "At the orphanage he was called either 'Mama Pea' or 'Sweet Pea'."

Draco turned and saw his best friend with an arm around his mate's waist.

"Did he do that often?"

Hermione smiled. "Only when someone disappointed him; which wasn't often. I overheard one of the students say that he would rather go without Christmas and birthdays than disappoint Mama Pea."

Harry walked into the room with a tray of cups and two teapots. "Can you get Tom, Rinie? I know that he will want to terrorize Draco, but it can wait until after a mid-morning break."

"No need Mione. I'm already here." Tom looked at the teapots suspiciously. "The small pot isn't for me I hope."

Harry laughed softly. "No Tom, it isn't for you. Remus has been punishing himself for something he had no control over. The chamomile, Lavender, catnip and honey tea is for him. I've also told him he needs to choose between me, Hermione and a stranger to talk about it. He is going to tell me before dinner tonight or he does not eat."

Draco, Blaise and Severus' jaw dropped when Hermione sighed exasperated. "Are you still doing that? It looks as though it is a good thing we came here after all. You need a mother, Remus. For crying out loud, even Sirius talks to a mind healer when it gets too much for him to handle!"

"She's right Rem," Sirius appeared, looking tense. "In fact, do you have time to see me today?"

Hermione smiled. "Same time as usual, Siri?"

Sirius chuckled at the astounded looks he was getting from the people surrounding him. "Think there will be enough of Rem's tea for me to have a cup? I'm going to snap and kill someone if not."

Harry smiled and put a steaming cup before him. "Honeysuckle, lavender and lime blossom – just the way you like it. I also added a shot of a strong infusion of Remy's tea."

"You are a lifesaver, kit."

Harry chuckled. "I know."

Seriouslynow,howmanyofthesecantherebeinonechapter?

Remus lay on his bed, thoughts running through his head at light speed. He jumped when a heavy body collapsed next to him.

"Easy Rem, just me," Sirius murmured, running his hand through the sandy hair of his brother in all but blood. "You can't keep doing this, Rem. If you continue, we will end up losing you."

"Does it help? Talking?" Remus' voice was soft, almost going unheard.

"It does. Before I started going to Hermione, I thought mind healers were a waste of time. I had been to them before and they didn't impress me – what with trying to tell me what to talk about." He snorted. "One of them fainted when I walked into the room because I was a Black. Another lectured me on what a disappointment I was to my family. Another believed me to be a tyrant because Harry was in the orphanage.

"When I discovered that Harry and Hermione had become mind healers as part of their studies, I was furious. So furious I refused to talk to either of them. Hermione cornered me one day and laid into me. She got me so riled up that I exploded and told her that her and Harry had disappointed me. I ranted and raved until I wore myself our and all this time she just watched me with this small smirk on her face."

Sirius chuckled lost in the memory, not noticing that Remus was hanging on his every word. "When she opened her mouth, I started again. For nearly three hours I ranted. She looked me in the eye after I collapsed on one of the chairs and told me that she had to go because she and Harry were taking the kids to the park, but if I truly cared about Harry, her, you or myself, then she would be seeing me during the hour after lunch the next day for my next session – then she disappeared in a flash of flame."

He looked at Remus with a lop-sided grin. "I contemplated not going and before I knew it, I had been cornered again – this time by Harry. I didn't realise that he had cornered me until he had to leave. The little bugger told me he was looking for you since you had promised to tell him stories about James, Lily and Peter. It was the day you had to stay at the warehouse for a shipment and I didn't want to disappoint him, so I volunteered to do so and spent over two hours laughing and crying with him over the memories. Just before he left he turned to me and said 'Not all mind healers are self-obsessed ninnies, Sirius. I think both Hermione and I have proven that, don't you?' and he left. I stayed up all night thinking and the following morning I sent an owl to Hermione asking for an appointment with her. I haven't regretted it at all."

He stretched as well as he could since he was lying flat on his back.

"Even though Hermione is my mind healer, I do go to Harry for some things. I recommend that you go to Harry as he is the one best able to handle the violence, torture and the like. I will say that every will stay between the three of you – it seems that they share the information between them –"

"It isn't their fault Siri. You know they have been able to access each other's minds from a young age."

Sirius smirked and rolled onto his side, facing Remus. "I know. I'm just saying that they will keep it between them and you. Just think about it, won't you? Please? I can't lose you now."

Remus nodded, deep in thought. "I will think about it Siri. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Sirius muttered, rolling back onto his back and running his fingers through Remus' hair once again.

When Harry appeared to check on Remus, he discovered both men sound asleep – Remus with his head on Sirius' chest and Sirius' fingers twisted in Remus' hair.

After Harry returned from Remus' room, Tom rose. "Your turn, Mr Malfoy," he announced in his velvet-smooth voice.

Draco gulped and rose, stopping only when he heard the small whimper of protest from his mate.

"Shh, Kitten," Draco murmured. "I'm only going to be gone for a short time and I will be fine." His eyes flicked to his godfather, who moved his head slightly in accent. Draco smiled and nuzzled into Harry's cheek with his own. "How about while I'm talking with Mr Riddle, you ask Sev if he can show you his lab. He might even let you brew a potion or help prepare ingredients while he brews." He almost laughed out loud at the hopeful look in Harry's eyes.

"I will not be making any potions today I am afraid," Severus said, not looking up from his marking. "I have a class to teach – but Miss Granger and Mr …" he trailed off, realising he didn't know if his godson's mate's last name was still Potter.

"There's no 'Mr' Professor," Hermione answered when it became evident that Harry wouldn't answer. "As a submissive, he has no claim to a last name until he is mated. It's just Harry."

Severus raised an eyebrow at this and he noticed the nod Tom was giving in agreement. Severus nodded his understanding.

"Then Harry and Miss Granger are free to join me in this class so I can test them on what they know. I have my sixth years now, so there should be no problems."

Tom noticed how Harry looked at Draco for permission. He felt his heart ache at the over-joyed expression that appeared at the nod he received.

'Maybe I should give him the same chance as I did the elf,' he thought to himself, watching the way the young vampire interacted with his little Prince. 'But I need to know if he can protect my little one …' he smirked. He'd just had the best idea.

linelinelinelinelinelinelineline

"This test is going to be in two parts," Severus told the two demons following him. "The first is theory, the second practical – which consists of several commonly used potions of varying degrees of difficulty and complexity. So I can ensure you are safe from the class' curiosity, I am going to get the two of you to use my desk and work station."

He turned a corner, making his robe flare out around him. "I do not care if you work together or separately on the potions, I just want to see what your knowledge level is."

"Yes sir," they said in unison. They had agreed before leaving the rooms that they would say nothing but 'yes sir' and 'no sir' unless they were asking or asked a question about the test.

Severus stopped at a door and ushered them inside. "My next class stats in ten minutes and I would like to have you both started before then, so if you could aid me in clearing a place for the both of you, we can get you started."

Hermione and Harry had his desk neatened and two clear spaces ready for the exam before Severus knew what was happening. Within five minutes, both Demon had their eyes on the theory sheet before them and were reading through the questions. When they looked up, Severus nodded.

"You can start when you are ready – You have the first half of this double lesson to complete it."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, looked back and Severus, nodded and picked up their quills at the same time. Severus watched in amusement as everything they did occurred in sync – almost like a practiced dance. He was interrupted from his amusement by an increase of noise outside his door.

He silently stalked to the door and flung it open. "What is the meaning of this noise?" he hissed. "You should know by now that the level of noise you are producing is unacceptable at the best of times. You are supposed to be SIXTH years."

He smirked internally when the small group froze.

"Before I allow you to enter the room, I am going to explain some rules to you. I have two people sitting a highly complex examination-type assessment item so you are to do your work in SILENCE. You are not to try any of your tricks on them and any attempt at sabotage or gaining their attention will result in a loss of fifty points – Yes, Miss Parkinson, even from my own house – and two weeks detention with Filch, myself or Professors Black and Lupin."

He smirked at the attempted smirks of the Gryffindors at the mention of their two favourite teachers. "As the two students are close to Professors Black and Lupin they will, undoubtedly, take offense at any and all assumed threats." He grinned at the rapidly paling faces. "So do I take that as a 'Yes sir'?"

Once he received the nods off his students, he stood to one side and waved them in. When the students saw who was sitting the exam – and where they were seated – they froze.

"Stop standing around like the Dunderheads you are!" Severus snapped, losing his very short temper. To his immense pride, neither Demon showed sign of shock or fright. He had to chuckle when he reached his desk to find that the reason they hadn't reacted was the silencing charm that one of them must have performed when the students had gotten too loud.

"How are you going?" he asked softly, watching his sixth years get their work stations set up.

"We're unsure about what you mean by question twelve sir," Hermione said, eyes and quill still on the paper before her. "Do you want to know the affect that ginger would have on the potion if it were made in full strength, half strength or toddler strength?"

"Or do you mean the effect that it would have on the potion if it was substituted for the galangal?"

"Or even how it would affect the potion when added in different forms at different times in brewing?"

Severus blinked in surprise before allowing a slow grin to develop. "How about you write what you believe it to be asking for and when I mark it, I will discuss the answers with the both of you."

Hermione nodded and Harry raised his hand.

Severus chuckled. "What is it Harry?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks. "Can we have more parchment please?"

Having trouble controlling his enjoyment, Severus placed a large stack of parchment between the two. "Help yourselves," he said before turning to the board. He froze. "Can you make it so they can hear me and I can hear them without it annoying you?"

Without warning, Severus could hear everything that was occurring in the classroom. He took a half-step towards his desk and the sound vanished. "My thanks."

The two younger people just nodded all their concentration on the parchment before them.

With a half-smile in their direction – not that they could see it – he flicked his wand at the board, filling it with his neat, precise writing. "Today we are going to start the skele-gro potion. Creevy! How many steps are there to this potion?"

The students all groaned. It was going to be one of those days.

Sighitsanotherline

Tom sat in the chair examining the lad before him shrewdly. "You are a vampire, correct?" he asked after a couple of minutes.

"Yes Sir," Draco answered, mentally thanking his father and godfather for their many years of training.

Tom nodded, watching the boy closely. _'Very good,' _he thought. _'If I couldn't smell the fear coming from him, I would believe he was calm.'_ "I know very little about vampires," he said out loud. "A very secretive people."

"Yes Sir. As a species, vampires are feared and as such have been hunted for many years before the Ministry signed the treaty. We still are secretive because we are long lived with longer memories and don't trust easily."

Tom nodded. "Very similar to our kind then," he mused. "What are your intensions towards my little Prince?"

Draco didn't answer for a while, deep in thought. "My intensions towards Harry are to bond with him. I will be honest with you in saying that I am already getting the signs from him indicating he wants me to claim him and I am getting the urge to claim him as mine, including starting the bonding process. I didn't discover that he wasn't seventeen until we had our date last night and I am very happy that I have been fighting my mating instincts back every time they take interest in what is going on around me."

He inhaled deeply and looked the surprised snake Demon in the eye. "I don't know how long I can fight my instincts while I am getting the acceptance signals from my mate. At the moment the only thing that is preventing me from doing anything is the fact that I keep telling myself he is not yet ready for it – and neither am I. I want a job before I start a family. I need to know that I can provide everything for my mate and future little ones."

For the first time since he entered the room, Draco revealed emotion. He rubbed his face with his hands.

"I don't want to scare him away and I don't want to harm him or hurt him by getting carried away or by pushing him away. I feel so strongly about this that I asked my Father to come here tonight so I can discuss the options I have so I don't lose my control. At the moment the only option I can think of is using a combination of ritual and potion to bind my vampiric heritage for two or three years so the mating instinct cannot get away from me."

Tom sat up straighter. "Do you know what that will do to you?"

Draco nodded, his eyes closed. "It will cause me to become infertile for anywhere between twenty and fifty years, meaning that I may not be able to sire any children of my own. It will also prevent me from being able to sense my mate – even though he will be able to sense me."

He wrapped his arms around his stomach and leant forwards into it as if doing so would stop the pain. "I would lose who I am for them few years and when it was over I would need to go through my inheritance again." When he looked up he had tears in his eyes that were being held there by pure will. "It terrifies me that I could be forced away from him should I take this option, but more than anything I want him to be safe, particularly from myself. If you are free, you could come to the meeting between me, Severus and Father. I want to discuss the options before choosing one – and I will need to tell Harry all the options and the one that I am considering taking."

Tom returned to relaxing in the seat. "Why tell Harry? It will only upset him."

Draco sat up straight, ignoring the tear rolling down his cheek. "Last night we discussed what our favourite books were and what we liked about them. Harry's favourite book is Dinotopia and he said one of his favourite things was that the word for a close friendship and marriage is the same and that he felt the same way. When I heard that, I promised myself that I would try to become one of his closest friends as well as his mate. The basis of any friendship is trust. I trust him to tell me the truth about anything that comes up in his life, so I can do nothing less. This decision – though it is going to be me doing it – will be affecting his life just as much as it will mine. He has the right to know."

Tom looked at Draco, noticing everything in a glance. He allowed a slow smile to spread across his face. "I like you, young Mister Malfoy. I have an option to contribute to this meeting of yours, so I will come. I am also very interested in meeting the man – or men – responsible for the mature gentleman before me. Now," he said, sitting forward, "tell me about your time at this school – the classes, your grades and the like."

Icouldhaveturnedthisintoarecipebynow

Everyone in the sixth year NEWT potions class watched the two before them in awe and Severus – who would normally be ranting at them by this point in time – couldn't blame them. Never in all his years as a master of the art and science of potions had he seen anything like what the two before him were doing.

Neither Harry nor Hermione noticed that they were the centre of attention thanks to the silencing charm they had around them. They had finished the written side of their test and had just begun the practical. Before starting, they glanced at the list of potions they were to choose from and then headed towards the shelves the ingredients were on.

To the unobservant eye, the two of them started to grab at any ingredient without purpose, but to Severus' trained eye, they were grabbing ingredients to the two most commonly used potions – though he couldn't tell who was doing which. When the two of them started the potion, however, even he had to admit to being shocked.

Hermione lit the fires beneath the cauldrons with barely a though while she added the required amount of liquid to one of them. While waiting for both cauldrons to heat to the right temperature, her and Harry started peeling, slicing, dicing and shaving the assortment of ingredients surrounding them.

With barely a break in their preparation, Harry slide three slivers of newt heart into the cauldron bubbling beside Hermione while she sprinkled whole beetle eyes into the bottom of Harry's. Giving each a sir (clockwise in figure eights five times for Harry and once clockwise over two minutes for Hermione) they swapped potions with Hermione adding the juice of three pickled cabbage moth caterpillars and Harry carefully pouring the beetle eyes into a mortar and pestle with the egg teeth of two horned toads. After grinding the two together to a fine dust, Harry sprinkled a pinch into Hermione's mixture while she added the juice of a shrivel fig to Harry's cauldron, sprinkling the finely ground powder into it a pinch at a time while stirring the mixture vigorously. For every five pinches of the powdered mixture that was added to the shrivel fig juice, Harry added six drops of crocodile tears to Hermione's cauldron and a drop of dragon's blood to his own while giving the potion in Hermione's cauldron a quick stir every three minutes.

Eventually only one ingredient remained on the bench and both demon were behind their own cauldron. With a nod, they each reached for the same ingredient that had been prepared in different ways. While Harry scooped up the grated garlic/ginger combination and slowly squeezed the liquid from it drop by drop while stirring the thick, glossy paste in a slow continual fashion, Hermione was adding very finely cubed garlic and ginger a cube at a time to her potion while whisking vigorously, allowing the liquid to melt the normally fibrous spices before adding the next.

One and a half hours after starting the potions, they had finished Harry extinguished the flames with a bit of shadow and both demon bottled the potion in another practiced dance before jarring the balm.

The silencing charm that had surrounded the two of them broke as they put the last vial down. "Twenty nutrient potions and fifteen antibacterial balms for shallow cuts and scrapes," Hermione announced, stretching her aching muscles. Seeing this, Harry moved behind her and started massaging the muscles in her mid-back.

"We would be appreciative if we could have half of them to send to Mama Figg for the little ones. Can we? Please?" Harry looked at the Professor with large innocent green eyes.

Severus laughed, shocking the students out of their stupor. "I assume that you two are the potion brewers for the orphanage?"

Harry stepped away from Hermione, insulted. "Of course! You didn't expect us to allow them to use second rate potions did you?"

Severus raised an eyebrow and tossed them a jar. "Tell me what you can about that one."

Frowning thoughtfully, Harry opened it. Hermione stood behind him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her hands over his. They released a small amount of magic into the mixture and dropped it in shock.

"Where did you get this?" Hermione demanded, looking at the Professor. "And have you used it?"

Severus remained blank faced while the rest of the class inhaled sharply. The Slytherins exchanged smug looks, just waiting for their head of house to explode.

"The mutt gave it to me. Said he wanted me to examine it and test it. I deconstructed a small bit of it, discovered that it was a bruise balm. Now I use it for a very deep and dangerous bruising."

I can't believe that man! I told him to destroy the damn thing, not give it to someone else to use! It could have harmed someone!

At the hissing coming from the dark-haired teen, everyone stepped back. Hermione sighed.

Calm down, Sweetie. I will ask him what he was thinking at lunch.

Thanks Rinie.

"What - may I ask - was that?"

"That was Harry wondering whether or not Sirius had taken leave of his senses. He was asked to dispose of that balm before it harmed someone else." Hermione shook her head. "He still believes that he brewed it incorrectly rather than it was too strong for who he made it for."

Severus nodded his understanding. "Harry. The reason I was given the balm was to dispose of it. Only a certified Potions Master can legally dispose of a potion or balm. He just insisted that I look at it first. He also told me about the reaction of the person who used it. That person reacted in that way because she has an allergy to lacewing larvae."

Harry looked at the man in hope. "Honest?"

"Yes honest. Now, what about the hissing?"

Harry blushed and hid behind Hermione, who just chuckled.

"It's parseltongue. As a cat-demon Harry had some knowledge of it from when he was younger and when Tom bound us to him as his students his native tongue was transferred to us, so he taught it to us properly. Why?" Hermione absent-mindedly hugged a newly shy Harry to her, ignoring the evil smirk on one of the student's faces.

"The founder of Slytherin house was able to talk parseltongue and it has always been believed that only those of his line have the ability."

"Maybe Tom should hear of this," Hermione mused before kissing Harry on the top of the head. "May we go now Sir? And will we see you for lunch?"

Severus nodded. "Yes to both." He turned to his class. "Why have you not started" he purred dangerously. "Everyone will be failing today due to this – or I will allow you to do an eight inch essay on why you will all be attending an evening in this lab doing this potion again."

The student's hastily packed up their belongings and began to write their assignments.


	10. Chapter 9 - Draco's Options

Chapter 9 – Draco's Options

Tom waited in the shadows as his kits greeted their mates before revealing himself. "How was your test?"

"It was fun and I learnt something I need to talk to Siri and Remy about. Have they woken yet?

Tom shook his head. "I wish to steal Draco from you for a bit tonight. Will you be alright with that? I am going to talk with his father and godfather. I will not keep him from you for too long."

"Before you go I think I should warn you of something," Hermione said, looking at Draco. "One of the girls in your house is planning something. I don't know what, but she had the smirk of a girl who has plans on how to break up a happy couple. She also saw me kiss Harry on the head."

Draco swore. "Did she have blonde hair, wet blue eyes and a pointed chin?"

Hermione nodded.

Draco swore again and hugged Harry to him firmly. "Think you could come with us Blaise? I'm going to need someone who can stop me from killing Pansy if she comes up to me and says anything against my mate."

Harry nuzzled into Draco's chest, purring softly. He smiled into the shirt below his cheek when the blonde relaxed. "What time will you be back? I don't want you to have a cold evening meal."

Draco closed his eyes before looking into the green orbs before him. "I will be back by dinner time. I'm going out to talk to Sev, Father and Mr Riddle about a problem I have." He took a deep breath. "We are going to be talking about the options I have so I don't harm nor scare you due to my increasing desire to claim you as mine and mate you before you are ready. If we cannot discover a better way to protect you from me, I've suggested that my heritage be bound. I know what the consequences are if I do this and before anything is chosen, I will discuss with you, Sirius, Remus, Mr Riddle, Hermione, Blaise, Sev and Father. This meeting is to discuss which options I have."

"Thank you for telling me, Draco," Harry smiled. "I trust you and don't want for you to have your heritage bound for any length of time. Can I suggest that Rinie goes with you? She's very good at keeping people on track and for finding good ways of solving problems."

Tom smiled. "I was just about to suggest that. What will you do?"

Harry grinned, revealing small sharp teeth. "I've got a wolf and god-mutt to wake!"

Draco and Blaise almost felt sorry for the two men … Almost.

againwiththelines

Remus sat in his favourite red leather chair, sipping at a fresh cup of his special tea while he waited until Harry and Sirius had finished eating the sandwiches he'd made for lunch. Harry had just told them about the meeting the others had gone to and they had both agreed to be at the meeting that evening to discuss the options. Now he was listening to Harry and Sirius discuss why Sirius hadn't told him about giving a bruise-balm to the potion's master.

"Harry?" he asked softly.

"Yes Remy?"

"Do you have any time free today?"

Harry smiled in understanding. "I have until five free, but if you don't mind being in the kitchen I have until around six free."

Sirius finished his food and stood. "I've got to head. I have a class soon and I want to make sure the room has been rigged for those who don't pay attention in the lesson." He left to soft laughter.

After he had stopped laughing, Remus looked at Harry helplessly. "I don't know what to do. I've never been to a mind healer before and I don't know what to talk about or where to start or what."

Harry started to pack up the used plates and platters, not looking at Remus. "First you need to relax and tell me if – and who – you want to talk to. Did you want to help me make tonight's dessert?"

Remus stood, nodding. "Sure, what are we having?"

Harry shrugged. "We are having steak and kidney pie for the meal, so I was thinking something sharp to cut through the rich after taste. What do you think?"

Remus frowned thoughtfully. "What about something with gooseberries or lemon and lime?"

Harry bounced happily on the balls of his feet. "Do you know how to make gooseberry fool?"

Remus chuckled. "Yes I do. Did you want me to make it?"

Harry nodded frantically. "Please. While you do that, I'll make a lemon-lime syrup polenta cake!"

"Severus is going to love you for that Kit," Remus laughed. "That's his favourite dessert and it is very rarely served here. What will you serve it with?"

Harry turned thoughtful. "What do you think of either cream or melon and lemon sorbet?"

Remus nodded. "Sounds perfect to me. Are you making one large one or individual ones?"

"Both. A large one for tonight and six individual ones: One for Professor Snape to take away with him when he leaves, one for Tom, one for you, one for Rinie and Blaise, one for me and Draco and one for quality control."

Remus laughed once more and set to work, sighing happily. They were forty-five minutes into their preparations when Remus broke the silence. "I need to talk to someone. Do you think I would be able to talk to you?"

"Of course Rem, I'm not going to be telling you to talk about anything in particular. You are free to tell me what you want and when you want. I know that most of the problems you have are due to what happened while you were undercover and I know that when you need to talk about it, you will talk about it. Until then, just relax and talk about whatever comes to your mind. I will suggest that you keep a dream diary though."

Remus nodded as he gently combined his whipped cream and fruit puree.

Bouncybouncykitty

Hermione listened to the people around her with a disgusted look on her face. Draco – who was feeling hopeless and helpless as he had been dismissed from the conversation as soon as he had bought the problem to everyone's attention – was the only one to notice. Her resolve to remain impartial to what was going on and only record what options had been thought of dissolved when Draco's father stated that he was going to do something about it that night – even if hit meant binding his son's heritage. Seeing Draco pale and feeling the helplessness from Harry through their bond, she reacted.

"I do hope you were over exaggerating Mr Malfoy," she purred dangerously, causing all motion and sound to cease. "I really hope you are because if you are not then you should be ashamed of yourself!" Her eyes flicked to the potion's professor and her mentor. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves. This isn't some game where if you make a mistake you can just hit delete and start again. This is the lives of two very important beings – both of whom are, I might add, of the age where they can make their own contributions to their futures."

"I know what's bes…"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you Mr Malfoy," Hermione interrupted icily. "You may THINK you know what is best for you son, but I beg to differ. There is also the question of what will happen to MY boy should you get your way and bind his mate's heritage – Tom shut your mouth and listen to me."

The four men looked at the enraged fox demon before them and gulped slightly. Hermione glared at the three older men. "While you three are discussing when you are going to bind Draco's vampiric heritage, you are forgetting that said vampire is in the same room as you to get information on other options he can use since the binding was going to be the last resort!"

She took a breath and a sip of water. "You all know what will happen to Draco if he is bound, but do you know what will happen to Harry?" The four males shook their heads in the negative. "He will feel empty. Alone. He will feel as if his mate has abandoned him – even if he sees his mate every day. I refuse – REFUSE – to allow my little brother go through that amount of pain."

"Pain?" Draco asked paler than he should have been.

"When a submissive demon is blocked from their true mate they feel pain. It travels from their chests through their bodies until they can no longer handle it and they stop fighting and allow their hearts to give out," she said softly, wincing slightly at the devastated look in the younger vampire's eyes.

"Then there is no way that I am even going to think of undergoing the binding ceremony," he answered with conviction. "Not even as a last resort."

"Then what is there that we can do?" Lucius sneered. "I'm not having my son tortured day in, day out."

"And I'm not allowing Harry to be locked away for a year," Tom retorted.

"You are BOTH getting on my nerves!" Hermione spat. "Think for once! You are a vampire Mr Malfoy. When did you first get the urge to claim you mate?"

Lucius thought for a moment. "Six months after I met her."

"Why so long?"

"She wasn't ready to bond with me. She had school to finish and a family visit to live through."

"Exactly," Hermione almost cheered. "She didn't start to respond in a positive way to the mating until she was ready." She turned to Tom and glared at him. "I'm surprised it didn't hit you sooner, Tom, after all, you know that he has wanted children of his own since he has been old enough to be trusted with the orphanage children. That's been three years now and he has also passed his Healer's credentials, so he has finished studying. He is ready to mate and regardless of his age, his body is reacting to that desire."

"Lily was the exact same," Sirius spoke up from the doorway. "She had been accepted into the Department of Mysteries halfway through her sixth year, so she was only just older than Harry when she got the mothering urge. In the end she had hers and James' parents sign a contract that she and James had arranged. I think that would be the best way to deal with this. Allow a few days – or even a few weeks – for Harry and Draco to work out a contract with things that are allowable before Harry is of age, but will still be enough to convince the beasts within them that they are bonding."

The men folk blinked in surprise while Hermione beamed.

"Finally someone with half a brain!" she exclaimed. "Though I must admit to being surprised at who was responsible for it," she teased.

Tom, Severus and Lucius sighed in resignation. They had gotten carried away and had lost sight of what was truly important. They nodded their accent.

Draco looked from the men to the door and back again.

Severus laughed. "You can have today's lesson off, since it is your only class today. I expect you to be at the lab on Saturday though to work on a different project. Bring your demon with you. Miss Granger, your presence will also be required."

The two youngsters grinned and left, with Sirius close behind them. Tom, Severus and Lucius exchanged guilty looks before heading in opposite directions to each other.

lInEdAnCiNg

Draco chuckled at something Hermione had muttered under her breath about the three men in the room they had just left. He waved when Blaise joined them from the shadowed path just as a blonde-haired female appeared from around the corner. Draco and Blaise groaned while Hermione continued to rant about incompetent dominants who forgot about the submissive they were supposed to be protecting.

"Hi Draco," the blonde fluttered her lashes coyly at the disgusted blonde male.

"Not interested," he said coolly.

"But Draco, I know that green-eyed … thing can't be your mat," she pouted. "He is just playing with you."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "And I assume you have proof of this?"

"She kissed him in front of my potion's class. Is that proof enough?"

Draco, Blaise and Hermione jumped when Sirius' laughter sounded close to them. "Of course she kissed him," he said, "she's been his protector for a long time and they have a very strong relationship. Nothing will tear them apart." He smiled wistfully. "I wish my relationship with my younger brother was half as strong as theirs."

Pansy paled drastically. "B-brother?"

Draco smirked. "Yes Pansy. Hermione and Harry are brother and sister, so I don't mind if Mione kisses him." He walked past her with a slight swagger, Hermione and Blaise following him.

"Don't try getting between the two of them, Miss Parkinson," Sirius said as he passed her. "The response will be devastating … for you." He caught a glimpse of a shame-faced potions professor. "Don't forget that you are eating with us tonight Sev!" he called cheerfully before turning a chilly smile on the young lady before him. "Have a wonderful day."

Pansy watched the DADA professor as he calmly walked away, feeling as if a life time of dreams had been shattered in a million tiny pieces by the man's words.

dAnCiNgQuEeN

Remus collapsed on the seat, fighting to breathe through his laughter. He had just finished telling Harry about his first bout of accidental magic – an incident that involved a copper band, a steel fork and his uncles left ear – and he couldn't help but laugh. Not even the reason the man had been targeted was enough to dampen his spirits. Sirius had been correct – talking about things did lighten the burden. He had explained the entire confrontation to his nephew-turned-councillor and he had been rewarded by the barest glint of anger in his Kit's eyes before he had been encouraged to continue while decorating the gooseberry fool with whatever he and Harry had been able to find – rose petals, elder flowers, nasturtiums, grapes – it didn't matter. With the younger male working beside him, he had revealed the memory for the first time since it had occurred and, also for the first time, he had seen it for what it was – The magical outburst of an over-stressed child.

He beamed at the younger male beside him and drew him into a hug. "Thank you."

redredline

Sirius opened the door to Remus' rooms for the three youngsters and stopped at a sound he hadn't heard for a very long time. "It can't be … It just can't be …" He ran towards the sound before the teens could react. He skidded into the kitchen, wide-eyed. The three teens and Tom – who had appeared only just seconds before the small group – followed his astounded gaze and looked upon chaos.

White sugar covered every flat surface, cream coated the ceiling and the walls and flower petals were scattered everywhere. Curled up amongst the mess was a softly sobbing Remus being comforted by a crooning Harry. He looked up at those in the doorway with eyes the colour of smoke. Without looking away from the pain-filled ice-blue eyes of his godfather, he placed a hand at the base of Remus' skull and whispered a word, knocking the sandy-haired man out.

Sirius walked quietly to his best friend and nephew. Without a word, he picked the amber-eyed man up.

"He's going to be alright Sirius," Harry told him quietly. "We got through to him. He's not going anywhere."

Sirius fell to his knees, still cradling the unconscious man to his chest, tears flowing from his eyes. "Thank you. You have no idea what that means to me."

Flames filled the room, burning the mess surrounding and covering the three in the room as Hermione stepped into the room. She locked eyes with her kitten.

"Yes, we do."

The black-haired man closed his eyes, ignoring the tears rolling down his cheeks. "Yes, I dare say you do. But still … Thank you."

He rose and walked out of the kitchen with Remus safely in his arms.

Harry smiled sadly and pulled his now cooked cakes from the oven. He placed all bar one onto the bench. Carrying the other to the table, he doused it with syrup and headed everyone a spoon. "Help yourselves," he put two scoops into a bowl and walked out of the room, following the two men. It was a subdued group that ate the treat before them.

linelinebaby

Hermione opened the door to Remus' room and smiled. Sirius had fallen asleep with his arms wrapped protectively around Remus' waist, his nose buried in the sandy hair. Remus had his back to Sirius with his arms wrapped around Harry as if the cat-demon was a teddy bear. Harry was fast asleep with a smile on his face and purring his head off. As quietly as she could, she snapped a photo and walked to the bed.

"Sirius, Harry, time to wake up," she whispered.

None of them moved.

"Come on, wakey wakey," she tried again, not noticing that two sets of eyes had opened a smidgeon, nor that the soft muttering coming from the dark-haired man wasn't the result of an interrupted sleep.

She put her hand onto Sirius' shoulder and shook it gently. Without warning, Sirius spun around, grabbed Hermione and pulled her into the middle of the bed just as Remus rolled over with Harry in his arms.

"Ready, Sirius?" Remus asked a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Ready, Remus. On three?"

Remus nodded. "One."

Sirius smirked. "Two."

Both men turned sparkling eyes onto the wide-eyed teens between them. "Three!" They pounced.

Harry and Hermione shrieked with laughter as two pairs of nimble fingers found their way to their ribs and danced around them. Soon, all four of them were laughing too hard to breathe properly.

"Wh-what is it that you wanted, Mione?" Remus yawned, once more holding Harry as if he were a teddy bear.

"It's almost time for dinner. I was waking up Harry and Sirius so they could get ready. I know you haven't been sleeping lately, so I was going to let you sleep a little longer since you take less time than Sirius to get ready …"

Sirius' indignant exclamation of 'hey' was lost in the chorus of chuckles coming from the entrance.

"We were wondering what was taking you so long when we heard the shrieking. Do they do that often?"

Hermione grinned. "Not since Harry's sixth birthday."

"Come on, time to get up," Harry stretched, absent-mindedly digging his claws into Remus' chest. "I'll go put dinner on then get ready." He carefully extracted his claws and pecked Remus on the cheek before crawling out of the messy bed.

Sirius and Hermione followed his example, but Remus sank back into his pillows. "If you don't mind, I think I'll stay here for a little longer. Harry will come get me."

Hermione smiled knowingly and pushed the remaining men from the room. Remus grinned and nuzzled into the pillow beneath his head, inhaling deeply. He could feel Mooney sitting just under the surface of his skin and he felt giddy due to the tea he had been drinking – almost as though his wolf had reverted back to puppy-hood. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of his pack again.

The next thing he knew was the smell of rich, sweet chocolate and a small, gentle hand running though his hair.

"Kit?" he asked sleepily.

"Yeah, it's me Remy. You have ten minutes to get ready for tonight's meal. I bought you a chocolate hit. I'll leave you to get ready."

Remus nodded the best he could with a mug at his mouth. "See you in six," he gasped, returning his empty mug to the amused teen beside him.

Harry smiled and walked out.

IstilllineAustraliahome

Severus walked into the room, smiling at the sight that met his eyes. Draco was seated on a single chair with a book on his lap, a quill in his hand and a thoughtful frown on his face. Tom was seated on the chair across from the blonde, watching him with intense concentration. Hermione and Blaise were lying on their stomachs, looking though a photo album. Sirius was just closing the door with a relaxed air about him. It was so different from his reaction from that morning that Severus couldn't help staring at him.

The sound of a softly closing door caused the potions master to spin around and his jaw to drop.

Coming from what was obviously the bedroom was a neatly dressed, newly groomed Remus Lupin with a new bounce to his step and glowing gold/amber eyes.

Sirius chuckled. "It's amazing what a decent sleep and a couple of Kit's teas can do, isn't it?"

Remus smiled and strode towards the two black-haired men with a long-forgotten confidence. "Hey Sev," he stretched until his tendons snapped. "Glad you could make it. Did you, Tom, Lucius and Draco sort out the problem?"

Severus blushed. "No." He coughed in embarrassment. "Me and Lucius seemed to have had lost track of what was important. Miss Granger and Sirius bought our attention back to what we should be doing and offered an option that we agreed on was the best for both of them."

Remus chuckled. "I'm glad of that," he tilted his head to the left with a smile. "He's ready for us."

Severus blinked as all the people who were seated rose and headed for the kitchen. He allowed himself to be herded with them.

Harry looked up from where he was serving the rich casserole over mountains of creamy mashed potato. "Good to see you again Professor," she smiled softly at him before allowing his gaze to fall on the group's werewolf. "Wonderful to see you again Mooney, how do you feel?"

"Like a cub, Kit."

The deeper, rougher voice that came from Remus' mouth made the three Slytherins stare in shock.

"I'm happy for you. It means Remy isn't fighting this time," Harry smiled. "We should have the two of you joined by this time next year."

Remus shrugged his shoulders. "We've waited this long, what's another year?" Remus' voice smoothed out and gentled, leaving the shy, polite man in the wake of the confident, powerful being. "And I think I speak for both of us when I say that we can't wait. I'll do anything to feel whole once more."

Harry placed a plate before Severus and one before Remus. "Good boy," he said, kissing the top of Remus' head. "We will go through your schedule on the weekend. Let's eat – I'm hungry!"


	11. Chapter 10 - Discussions

Chapter 10 – Discussions

Tom watched everyone eat with barely contained amusement. Sirius was mixing all the food on his plate together and making food castles before eating each structure individually. Remus was picking through the stew before him with single-minded devotion. Soon, he had meat on one side, vegetables and gravy on the other and a thick band of mash between the two and he seemed to be playing a counting game trying to decide which to eat first. The dark-haired potions master was eating his meal slowly, eyes closed in bliss.

His attention moved to the 2 young males between the potions master and himself. Both boys were torn between eating, discussing schoolwork with him and their mates, watching their mates and laughing at Sirus' and Remus' way of eating. He, himself, was eating his meal in small, enjoyable titbits so he could commune with his Kits and their mates. His Kits were eating in much the same way as he was with the exception that every now and then, Harry would lick his fork clean rather than suck it clean. Hermione was lost in the discussion about the lessons she was having with Blaise and Draco while Harry was trying his hardest to ignore Remus' and Sirius' behaviour.

After the last meaty, delicious morsel had been lovingly chewed and swallowed, Remus lead their guests into the sitting room while Harry and Sirius cleared the table.

"It was one of the criteria for Sirius eating with us tonight – he had to help clean-up afterwards and that includes the dishes," Tom explained when Severus looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Five minutes later, Sirius walked into the room carrying a platter of bowls containing a slice of cake and a scoop of sorbet in one hand and another holding nine champagne flutes in the other. Behind him, Harry walked in with a tea service for nine and nine small cups full of a burgundy liquid. Tom narrowed his eyes.

"And just what is in those cups, Harry?"

Harry looked at Tom with large innocent green eyes, "Tea."

Tom hissed at him, scowling.

Harry chuckled. "It's only Port, Tom. You know I end important meals with it and Sirius said that you, he, the Professor, Draco, Rinie and Draco's father had something important to discuss with me tonight, so I thought that the small amount of port would be good to relax everyone."

"You are not getting rid of me," Remus growled.

"Of course not Mooney. You and Blaise are welcome to stay – You both are part of my family and are to be involved, after all, we may need more than Rinie to keep everyone calm."

Remus nodded and visibly calmed. He looked around. "Um … where's Severus?"

"Sev has gone to get Father," Draco answered, stretching. "They both should be here soon."

After the two men arrived and made themselves comfortable, Harry and Sirius started handing out the desserts, tea and port. Silence reigned in the room until Severus took a mouthful of the cake and moaned as his eyes rolled up into his head.

"I'm assuming you are enjoying the dessert Sev," Remus laughed.

"Enjoying it is an understatement. This isn't just dessert; this is a piece of artwork! A picture that is to be enjoyed slowly as it is savoured at one's leisure."

"Severus!" Draco laughed, "If you don't stop, I think Harry's head will explode with the extra blood that is flowing to his face."

Severus turned his eyes towards Harry. "You created this explosion of colour, flavour and texture?"

Harry nodded shyly before hiding his face in his mate's side.

"Harry loves to cook," Hermione smiled. "He cooked everything we've eaten all day –"

"Except the gooseberry fool – that was Remi."

Everyone turned to look at the resident werewolf who just laughed and tussled the black hair of the teen seated to his side.

"Just because you don't know of people's talents doesn't mean that they don't have them," he said, smirking at the disbelieving look on the faces of the adults in the room. "As a were-creature, I have never been very welcome in many places – not until recently at any rate," he explained when Blaise questioned him. "When I was younger – after my family disowned me for being bitten – I had no choice but to learn to use whatever I found as my only source of sustenance." He grinned. "I have a mean recipe for rabbit, tuber and nettle casserole – have done so since about three years before I got into Hogwarts. Not too bad at making nettle wine either," he winked, causing surprised laughter to erupt from those surrounding him.

Once the last dish had been finished and each person was cradling a cup of tea in one hand and nursing a shot of port in the other, Hermione sighted.

"I know we said that we would hold this meeting on Saturday and it is only Tuesday night, but this is far too important to wait until then."

"This is about the meeting to decide what to do about my mating, isn't it?" Harry asked softly, now curled up between Remus and Sirus.

"Yes Sweetie, it is."

Harry nodded and looked at Hermione with all his attention.

"Firstly, the ideas that were discussed were; Separate the two of you for a year –"

Draco hissed his displeasure at that thought.

"Second was Harry being locked in a part of the school alone –"

Remus growled. "And if I discover who's idea that one was I will tear them apart slowly so they can enjoy the feeling of each one of their muscles tearing strand-by-strand." It didn't escape anyone's notice that Lucius turned ash-grey at Remus' words, or that the over protective wolf growled at the man.

"The third option was the binding of Draco's inheritance – and I am overtly happy to say that after several people got sense smacking into them, this option was completely and utterly destroyed, never to return to the list of possibilities."

Everyone in the room noticed how Harry's body slacked in relief as he heard those words. Hermione waited until her cinnamon eyes locked onto those of her brother before continuing.

"It was at this point that Sirius appeared. He suggested that we do for you what was done for your parents as it seemed that your mother – like yourself – matured earlier than she was supposed to. Your grandparents allowed your parents to discuss things and create their own marriage contract which, while ensuring that the full bond could not be completed; there is enough occurring to reassure both sides of the bond that you are not being rejected by the other."

She glared at the men in the room, making the guilty parties squirm.

"This is to be between the two of them and no one else. The basics of the contract are no penetrative sex allowed – this is non-negotiable. Other than that, the two of you have free reign." She raised an eyebrow and sent them a half smile. "I suggest that you start now. Sign it with your blood when completed and hand it to an adult that you both trust so they can create and distribute copies to those who need them."

The two males nodded and left for another room. An enraged hiss and an amused snort announced the appearance of a strong silencing spell designed for creatures with enhanced senses.

The group in the sitting room had been making idle chit-chat for just over an hour when a happy Harry bounced back into the room while dragging s slightly terrified Draco along with him. Hermione, Sirius and Remus couldn't stop the chuckles that escaped them. Blaise, Severus and Lucius blinked in shock at the usually shy submissive. When the two teens stopped before Remus and handed him the signed contract, none were surprised. They were surprised, however, by the deep rolling laugh that came from the man when he read the parchment.

"What? What is it?" Sirus demanded.

Remus smirked at his friend. "I Remus John Lupin A.K.A 'Mooney', hereby decree that the contract between Draco Abraxas Malfoy and his submissive mate Harry, to be adequate and unchangeable. May your union be fruitful and an overflow of love. So mote it be."

"So mote it be."

Sirius and Tom turned to the lycanthrope. "What was so funny?"

Smirking, Remus passed the parchment to his pack-brother. "Read it and you'll see."

A few moments later, a shocked Sirius peered from behind the contract.

"It … It's exactly the same as the one made by James and Lils … Word for word identical."

Remus nodded his head, eyes sparkling with some suppressed emotion. "It seems to me that they approve. How else would Harry and Draco have used the same terminology for the entire document?"

"I have to agree with you there Mooney. Prongs and Foxy have given their approval."

"What are you two talking about?" Tom snapped, bringing the two men out of old memories.

"After James and Lily gave Elspeth – James' mother – their signed contract, they told the rest of the Marauders what they had done and they produce a second copy of their contract for us …" Sirus trailed off as he noticed the slightly reddened cheeks of his nephew. "Something you wish to tell us Kit?" Remus asked, humour evident in his voice.

Harry shook his head, but reached into his pocket and produced another scroll before handing it to Hermione amidst all the knowing looks and chuckles.

"As I was saying," Sirus continued with a fond smile for the couple, "Each of us memorised what its content was and filed it away. Remus and I can still recite the entire thing from memory, and the contract Remus was just handed is word-for-word identical to the contract James and Lily created all those years ago."

"And what does the contract say?" Tom asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It is basically the same as what is going to occur between Blaise and myself, but with one difference," Hermione said, skimming through the parchment with a soft smile on her face.

"What is this difference?" Lucius asked intrigued despite the fact that he shouldn't have stayed for as long as he had.

"They are to be bound together on Harry's seventeenth birthday."

"And whose idea was that?" Tom hissed dangerously, his eyes flashing a brighter red.

"Mine," Harry said negligently.

Everyone blinked.

"What?"

"I said it was mine," Harry stated once more, sipping at his tea and port as though he hadn't just said something of any importance. Blaise, Draco, Severus and Lucius held their breaths; waiting for the explosion they felt was brewing. Sirius and Remus looked between Tom and Harry as if trying to decide whether they needed to protect their Kit. Hermione just kept reading the contract. Tom leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs at the ankle and rested his chin on the splayed fingers of his left hand while his right nursed his port.

"Explain."

Harry sat forward slightly, placing both drinks on the table beside him and clasping his hands before him. "Firstly, Draco needs me Tom. He needs me just as much as I need him. Now, let's ignore the fact that both of us are creatures and that Draco is my Dominant – and a VAMPIRE, therefore causing him to need to stake his claim of me or he'll think I'm rejecting him," Harry continued, ignoring the uncomfortable look on Tom's face.

"The first thing, ignoring that, is that I want a family of my own. Yes, I have you, Sirius, Remus and 'Mione, but something is missing. Something important … right here," Harry pressed a clenched fist to his chest, eyes never wavering from the red reptilian ones of his mentor.

"I loved growing up at the orphanage, but every time one of the children left, I was heartbroken. It was as if every one of my little ones were taken from me as soon as I got them and it hurt, Tom. It felt as though my heart was being stabbed over and over again before the knife was twisted. But every time it happened, all I did was give them a cuddle, a kiss on the head and a promise that I would always be thinking of them –"

"Don't forget the threats you made to the people who were adopting them," Hermione chimed in cheerfully.

Harry waved a hand negligently. "That doesn't count because my little ones weren't there for that '"

"Thank Merlin and Morgana for small miracles."

Harry poked his tongue out at Hermione before turning back to Tom.

"They had every right to have a loving family. I couldn't prevent them from having that – it was the one thing that I couldn't give to them, but I wanted to ... I wanted to so badly and I wanted it for myself, just as much as I wanted it for them. I need someone I can protect, but I'm always being the one that's protected and I always will be until I have my own kittens. Even if I weren't a Daemon, I know that Draco would be the best person to father my kittens. He is strong, attentive, patient, understanding, intelligent, attractive, protective and loving. Secondly. I can see myself falling in love with him and having a wonderful life. Like the make-up add Sirius likes says: It won't happen overnight, but it will happen."

Sirus blushed while Remus smirked at him. "I knew that would come back to bite me in the arse one day … HEY! What was that for?" he cried as three hands reached out and smacked him across the back of the head.

"For just being yourself."

Sirius pouted.

"And the most important reason is because it feels right. I feel as if it is my right, my reward to stand beside him for the rest of my life." He shrugged. "I have to also admit to wanting to be bound to my mate before I am with kitten and to be truthful, I believe I will not be able to stop myself from pouncing him on my seventeenth birthday and I believe the opposite to be equally true."

"That's true," Lucius sighed in agreement. "Once a Vampire's mate is of age and responds to the will to mate, then nothing will stop them from claiming – or being claimed – by their mate."

"I will not claim my mate as soon as he reaches seventeen," Draco half-sneered. "I will wait until he and I are bound later in the day."

Tom, Severus and Lucius raised an eyebrow at the same time, causing Hermione and Harry to giggle slightly.

"And how do you know this?" Lucius asked.

"Because Harry is adamant about that one fact - We are to be bound heart, mind and soul before we become one in body. If that is what he truly wishes, then it is the least I can do for him. Besides, now that we are courting, if anyone even thinks of taking him from me, I will tear them limb-from-limb."

Remus yawned.

"Oh! Look at the time!" Harry cried. "I'm so sorry Remy. I should have noticed you were getting tired. Off to bed with you! Don't forget to brush your teeth."

Remus gave a chesty chuckle and the deep, rough voice from before returned. "He is asleep Kit, and has been for a while. I'll share what happened here tonight with him when we are both awake."

Harry nodded. "Thanks Mooney. Now, off to bed with you, it's been a big day for you as well."

Remus chuckled again. "I should stay up just to enforce to you that I am Alpha, but even I know better than to argue with a natural born mother, let alone two." He stood, stretching. "You will be alright cleaning up?"

"Yes Mooney, we'll be fine. Now BED!"

"We will see you in the morning," the wolf said, then disappeared into his room.

"We will see you in the morning, Sirius, Professor," Hermione and Harry stated.

"Harry stepped towards Lucius and held out a slightly shaking hand. "It was wonderful to meet you Sir. I'm looking forward to spending more time with you in a few days' time to get to know you more. Draco speaks very highly of you."

Lucius gently folded one of his hands around the offered one. "I am glad to hear he speaks well of me. I too, am looking forward to getting to know the youngster who stole my son's attention so thoroughly."

Harry blushed and looked away shyly. Lucius let go of his hand and nodded to all those present before heading to the door, followed by Draco.

"He's definitely a keeper Draco," Lucius stated softly when he got to the door. "He is everything I could have asked in a mate for you. He will give you strong children – and I have ten months to get used to the fact that I will be a grandfather before I turn forty-one."

Draco chuckled and hugged his father. "You'll get used to it," he teased.

"I want to know what Miss Granger meant by 'threats'," Severus could be heard asking.

"Nothing major," Harry answered as he collected their dirty cutlery, "Just disembowelment, skinning or human sacrifice if they ever harmed one of my Kit's purposefully – accidental harms are to be expected."

He rubbed his cheek against Draco's instead of trying to hug him with full hands. "You should go back to the dorm you sleep in: you have class the morning. We'll see you for breakfast?"

Draco nodded and kissed the top of Harry's head. "Sleep sweet Kitten."

Harry smiled and walked into the kitchen, leaving behind a room of stunned males.

"Please," Severus stressed the word several moments later as he turned to face a chuckling Hermione. "Please tell me he was joking about the threats."

Hermione smirked. "He wasn't, he actually used those threats and placed a spell of his own design onto any new child that arrived at the orphanage that tells him when any of them are being mistreated." She raised an eyebrow at the shocked expressions on the people around here and the amusement in Sirius' eyes as he stood in the doorway leading to the kitchen with a pile of bowls in one hand.

"You shouldn't be so shocked," she said., "He may be a full submissive but he is also a Demon, and as such, he is possessive and protective over those he sees as his." She smirked, merriment dancing in her cinnamon eyes. "He's already stated his claim on Draco to the other students of the school by getting him to bite him in order to show everyone who he belongs to – He will guard Draco jealously from anyone he sees as a threat to his rightful position."

She smiled sweetly and kissed Blaise on the cheek for the first time. "See you for breakfast. Goodnight," she closed the door and locked it.

In the corridor, the startled Slytherins blinked.

"How did she do that without us knowing?" Lucius eventually asked, staring at the closed door.

"I'm not sure I want to know," Severus answered, also staring at the door in shock, one of the mini lemon syrup polenta cakes in one hand.

The two students with them nodded their agreement, eyes never leaving the door separating them from their mates.


	12. Chapter 11 - The Problems with Pregnancy

Chapter 11 – The problems of pregnancy

Remus raised an eyebrow in question when he opened the door to his room to find not only Draco and Blaise there, but Severus as well.

"I got summoned," Severus stated with dry amusement while holding a slip of parchment in the gap of his fore and middle fingers. "It appears that Tom wishes to pick my brains over breakfast while the young one gets to know me better. I think either Miss Granger or Harry may have told him that Salazar Slytherin was a parseltongue and he'd like to ask a few questions."

Remus nodded his understanding and moved aside to allow the three Slytherins into his rooms where they stopped in shock. Sitting cross-legged with Harry and Hermione was Tom – no surprise there – and, horror of horrors, Sirius.

"It's a serious shock to the system, isn't it? Remus murmured from behind them. "For someone as hyperactive as Sirius is to have caught onto meditation as quickly as he did is unprecedented. He took to it like a duck to water the first time we saw Tom teaching it to Harry and Hermione."

"Unlike you, hey Moons?" Sirius said making the wolf jump in shock at hearing a loud voice so close to his ear. The next thing everyone knew, Sirius was on the ground with Remus, Harry and Hermione on top of him.

"What did we say we would do if you ever shouted into one of our ears ever again?" Harry asked sweetly from his perch on Remus' back. "Answer me please or you will be cooking for yourself for a week in your rooms with no help."

Sirius pales. "You said you would torture me beyond all belief. Please don't, I'm sorry, I won't do it again!" he pleaded.

"No Sirus. You could have done some serious, irreversible damage to Remus' hearing – especially now that we are trying to get him and his wolf to merge. You are going to stay there until we have finished your punishment and you are not to complain once," Harry stated, forcing Sirius to meet his eyes. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Kitten," Sirius muttered, completely ashamed of himself. "I deserve the punishment, I took a joke too far and it could have been disastrous."

"Good boy," Hermione said, patting his head none to gently as the three of them allowed him to stand and move to a seat where Harry and Hermione attacked him with brushes, combs, and a wide range of products that none of the others wanted to know about. The three Slytherins and Tom followed Remus into the kitchen, thinking it would be safer for them.

Remus was almost finished with getting breakfast ready when Harry and Hermione walked into the kitchen wearing smug expressions and dragging a very attractive and pouting lady with them into the room.

"Everyone, this is Serina [pronounced Ssss-air-eeee-nah]. She will be taking Sirius' position in our lives until we decide that his punishment is over. She will be taking his classes and his detentions as well as any and all duties Sirius had."

The eyes of everyone in the room turned to inspect the unknown woman. She was only just shy of five-foot-eight with a decent sized chest, wide hips, narrow waist and shapely arms, legs and neck. Her skin was a slightly pale tone with a hint of pink, which was highlighted by her clothing.

Her robes were magenta and hugged her to her waist as though it was a second skin before flowing out into the usual robe. The men also caught sight of a cream silk undershirt.

Her face was framed by raven black hair with a slight curl to it. Pale pink lips were formed into a put, cheeks had a slight flush and deep grey eyes were lined with black Kohl and were frosted with a misty blue-grey powder.

"Do you mind?" she snapped.

Everyone's eyes widened at the slightly familiar, husky feminine voice.

"Black?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged smirks as Tom's, Severus' and Remus' eyes widened in shock as they took a longer, lingering look up and down the feminine figure before them.

"I thought you were going to torture him," Blaise said as he and Draco wrapped their arms around their perspective mates.

"We are," Harry and Hermione chorused. "What's worse torture to a straight man being surrounded by hundreds of hormonal male teenagers who are doing nothing but imagining you naked and starring in their wet dreams?"

Severus, Tom and Blaise exchanged horrified looks while Remus and Draco burst into laughter at the green tint that appeared on the animagus – turned –female's face.

"A punishment worthy of the Marauders Kitten," Remus gasped through his laughter.

Harry and Hermione smiled innocently. "We did nothing but what we promised Remy. Now, what is happening today?" The two of them greeted the Potion's master before cuddling into their mates.

"Sirius … I mean … Serina and I have classes all day, so we will need to eat in the Great Hall as we also have some detentions we need to supervise for the second half of lunch," Remus stated with a smirk as he gestured for everyone to start eating.

Harry pouted at the quiet man, much to his amusement. "Sorry Kitten, but you know we work – and you'll see me in the hours before dinner for our session and to help cook our evening meal," He chuckled seeing Harry's eyes resume their joyous look.

"You'll see me the hour after lunch also kitten," Serina announced, smirking when everyone bar his niece and nephew jumped at the sound of his voice, "And Hermione will see me for my session at the same time you and Remus meet."

"Blaise and I have classes, but we will be having lunch here unless you wish to have a picnic out by the lake," Draco said.

"That would be wonderful," Hermione answered with a smile. "Did you want us to cater for it or would you like those darling little creatures to do so?"

Blaise chuckled. "Draco and I will stop by the kitchens before we come get you for lunch." He turned towards Tom. "I received word from Mother last night. She wishes to know if you and she can meet before I introduce Hermione to her. I also mentioned Harry having his healer's certificate. She wishes to ask your permission to see him."

Tom nodded. "I will see her this afternoon if that is permissible?"

Blaise nodded his head slightly in his direction. "I will send her your request after I leave here," he promised.

Severus smiled crookedly. "I have classes to teach as well," he stated, not able to hide his disappointment. "I would like to invite the two of you to join me in my afternoon lessons. I have my younger years at that time and even though I haven't been able to completely look through your questionnaire, I got enough understanding from watching you work to allow you to aid in my lower year level classes."

Severus fell off his chair as both Harry and Hermione launched themselves at him, squealing excitedly like five year olds. Everyone in the room laughed as he pat the two of them unsurely on the head while trying to get them to calm down so they were easier to understand.

Tom, who eventually began to pity the poor man, stood and cleared his throat, looking pointedly at his two charges. They silenced immediately and clambered off the very relieved man.

"I thought I taught you better than that, my snakelings," he began in a dangerously clam voice. "So what, may I ask, do you think you were doing?"

"The Professor invited us into his classroom while he was teaching. Not to do a test, not to learn from him – thought that would be wonderful – but to aid him in teaching young minds something that will be useful to them throughout their lives. He wants us to help him," Hermione answered as calmly as she could.

"And what is so interesting about that?" Tom asked, hissing slightly in irritation.

"He's THE Severus Snape, Tom! Harry exploded in his anxiety to explain his reasons to his mentor. "Lord of the Prince line, Creator of sixty-three of the world's top one hundred most used and useful potions, author of sixteen potions books, a defensive text, four spell crafting papers, two articles on Occulmancy and Legilimancy, Holder of the world's most prestigious potions award for the last twelve years AND the youngest ever Potion's master." Harry was vibrating with excitement where he stood facing Tom, who suddenly had a very understanding look on his face.

"You were not this excited yesterday when you first met him," Tom eventually pointed out.

""That's because I didn't know who he was!" Harry started to hyperventilate. "I didn't know until Siri told us while we were doing his hair."

"Harry … Kitten, calm down!" Hermione called, reaching for the green-eyed teen. "Deep calming breathes, Sweetie, Deep and clam."

Everyone jumped when a growl and slap was heard followed by a lough yelp.

"You imbecilic idiot!" Remus snarled, sending stinging hexes at his best friend, who was cursing this foreign body. "You know how much our kitten looked up to Sev and you still told him who he was BEFORE he got to know him. YOU. ARE A. GALLOOT! Remus hexed Sirius between each word before stopping, panting as though he'd run a cross-country marathon.

"What?" Severus squeaked, making Harry flush with embarrassment at his behaviour that morning.

"Harry has two heroes," Hermione explained, smiling at the embarrassed young man. "The first is Tom because he stopped and aided us in our time of need even though he knew that it would be over ten years before he could continue on his own quest," Tom smiled at Hermione and gathered his blushing Prince to his side, giving him a soft kiss on the top of his head. Hermione smiled back and looked at Severus. "The other is one Severus Tobias Snape because he never gave up on his dreams, no matter what was thrown at him nor by whom. He stayed true to what his nature was and not only bested the last record for youngest person to get any mastery by four years, but also proved to wizarding society that it didn't matter which type of blood flowed through your veins, nor the type of magic you use – everyone has a place."

Severus blinked at the cinnamon-eyed girl as he processed what she had said. "James Potter's son looks up at me as one of his heroes?" he asked a few moments later, just for clarification.

"He does," Hermione clarified.

"Then I must say that I feel privileged to have found a place in his life with one of the people he classifies as one of his most precious people and I hope I can live up to his expectations," he stated firmly with a flattered look on his face.

"You already have," Harry murmured blushing brightly as he peeked at the man over his sister's shoulder.

Severus' eyes lit up in delight at the softly spoken words and he smiled softly. "I have a spare space in my schedule mid-morning so I will be able to come here for the talk you wish to have Tom."

Tom nodded regally. "If Blaise's mother permits it, I will be meeting with her and her family around or after lunch and other than the space that I will be talking with Severus, I will be following my kits to where they wish to take me."

Harry and Hermione exchanged excited looks.

"Well, "Harry began excitedly, "first we are going to be introducing Tom to Salazar. He said that he'd be able to show us to another frame of his that we can carry around with us so we can talk to him when we wish to."

"Then we will be coming back here to wait for the Professor and while he and  
Tom talk, Harry and I will be doing our own study."

"What would that study be?" Remus asked with interest.

"'Mione will be reading her newest neurology book," Harry said with a warm smile at his sister.

"And Harry will be reading this month's copies of Healing hands, Pioneering potions, Nat. Geo., Time and any other magazine he gets delivered today," Hermione said with a grin.

"It's called a periodical, Mione," Harry whined, "not a magazine."

"I should have known," Remus chuckled.

"You read Pioneering Potions?" Severus, Blaise and Draco asked.

Harry nodded his head rapidly, eyes shining and a large grin on his lips. "It's the best potion's journal that is printed in the UK!" Harry said excitedly. "I tried reading others but after reading Pioneering Potions they are more like an introductory tool for those not competent in the art of potions. Last month they had this awesome debate on whether the addition of Actea racemosa can be inter-changed with Mocrotys actaecieds with no side effects and if so, can they be used in abortion potions with Caulophyllum thalictroides to negate aborting effects to create a safe and low potent potion a witch can take every moth to regulate her menstrual cycle after child birth or other traumatic events. They decided that they needed to ask what those who worked in the business of potions and health thought and this month's edition will have the responses from those who took the time to reply and the answer to the debate which had been tested as the debate had continued."

"What is it that you think?" Severus asked, eyes gleaming at the topic under discussion.

"In the first instance I believe that Actiea racemosa and Mocrotys actaeoides can be interchanged with limed differences. The taste and strength of the resultant brew could be all as muggles have used both of them for the same medical conditions interchangeably. The second part of the debate is incorrect as all three ingredients have the same – or similar – use in the muggle world with Caulphyllum thalictoides having the strongest effects of the three of them. While Actea and Macrorotys are commonly used to aid in the treatment of women's health problems, Caulophyllum has always been used to stimulate the womb into ridding itself of anything inside of it – be it an overly thick layer of tissue or a developing child," Harry prattled, ignoring the amused glances of his family and the awed disbelief on his and his sister's mates faces.

"I don't …" Severus growled in frustration when the bell sounded, warning of the start of the day. "When you obtain the newest copy, bring it to me if you wish so I can read it. It sounds like an interesting debate" he sighed. Before he could move, Harry had disappeared and reappeared before the man.

"I'll bring this month's edition to class this afternoon, but here is last month's copy so you can get the facts of the debate," Harry blushed slightly. "Just ignore the writing on the pages."

Severus removed the journal from the teen's hand with a gentleness that surprised even him. "I thank you for loaning me your copy of last month's edition I will treat it as though it were my own."

Harry smiled at the man then bounded over to Tom and dragged the chuckling man from the room, followed closely by Hermione. Remus laughed as he realised that the sneaky kits had left them with the cleaning. With a snap of his fingers he called his personal house elf to him, gave him instructions to clean the breakfast dishes only and had herded everyone to the door to start the new day

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Tom chuckled as he followed the two kits deeper into the bowels of the castle. The two of them where chattering away as if they were a pair of old crows. As they turned a corner, Tom felt his breath catch in his throat. There, before them was a portrait of a distinguished gentleman with a calculating gleam in his eye that disappeared as soon as he noticed Harry and Hermione.

"Little ones!" he greeted calmly. "How may I help you today?"

"Hi Lord Slytherin," Harry chirruped, bouncing towards the portrait. "We really just came to introduce you to our mentor and to see if we could get those travel frames you mentioned."

Salazar chuckled. "Well do you not think you should introduce us? It does not seem wise to call your mentor, 'Mentor of the Little Ones' does it?"

Tom, Salazar and Hermione chuckled when Harry blushed softly.

"Tom, this is Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of Hogwarts. Lord Slytherin, this is Tom our Mentor, Teacher and fellow Demon but of the snake variety," Hermione said formally.

"It is a pleasure to speak with you, Lord Slytherin," Tom stated, inclining his upper body slightly in a shadow of a bow.

"No, it is I who is honoured to meet you, Master Tom," Salazar replied in all honesty. "I have heard much about you from your two kits and I must say I am impressed with your skill and dedication to them and their education. I am proud their chosen mates are in my house – they both deserve nothing short of the best."

"I must say that I agree with you in that aspect, Lord Slytherin," Tom said with a softened glance at the two kits that had transformed and were now playing with a broken quill they had found.

"I hear that you have taught the two kits your native language," Salazar inquired delicately.

"Yes, I did indeed. Harry already had the basics of the language and both were fast studies of it," Tom admitted with pride.

"One day when you are not so busy, would you be willing to chat with me? I find I miss having someone to converse with in and about Parseltongue. Such a fascinating and intricate language," Salazar enquired a hint of desire in his eye.

"I would like that very much," Tom responded with a slightly deeper, more respectful bow.

"Thank you," Salazar smiled slightly. "Now, for the frames …"

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Severus took a deep calming breath before knocking on the door. He was at a complete loss as to why the snake Demon wanted to talk to him and it unnerved him quite badly. He wasn't surprised to see Hermione answer the door and place a finger to her lips. Giggling softly, she led him to the sitting room where Tom was seated, watching Harry jump around the room excitedly, holding a potion's journal much like the one he had given into Severus care that morning.

"Professor!" he cried, slamming into the shocked man's chest in an exuberant hug.

"I guess that is the newest edition of Pioneering Potions," he chuckled.

Harry grinned and nodded his head so quickly that Tom and Hermione laughed and told him to make sure his head wouldn't fall off with the fast movements.

"How about you calm down and read it while I interrogate Severus for a while then you can loan him this edition as well so he can read about this debate that has you so excitable," Tom chuckled, producing a surprisingly rich sound.

"Ok Tom," Harry said with a sweet smile, releasing a still blinking Severus.

As Harry settled into a comfortable position with his quill in one hand, inkwell floating on a board diagonally to the right of him and his beloved journal resting on a slanted table to allow him proper access from his seat on the floor, Severus followed Tom into the dining room.

"I asked you here because I am interested in my kit's mates and their families. Please tell me all I need to know."

Severus allowed himself a small sigh of relief – he hadn't done anything wrong after all – and cleared his throat. "Let's start with Blaise first," he began.

Overlineswego

Tom looked around the room the House-elf had led him to as he waited for the Lord or Lady of the house to appear. Ten minutes later, a darkly enchanting middle-aged man lead a heavily pregnant beauty into the room. As the man arranged the woman with a calm, dutiful pose, Tom took the time to analyse her. He could have been able to tell that this lady was Blaise Zabini's mother, even if he hadn't known beforehand.

Blaise had inherited her dark caramel skin, her curling dark brown-black hair, her deep brown eyes and her proud Grecian stature. Noting that the attentive male had seated himself beside her, Tom bowed respectfully. "I thank you for opening your house to me, Lady Zabini. I've heard wonderful things of you from both your son and his Potion's Professor."

Willa Zabini nodded her head at him with a rueful smile on her face. "I'm glad to hear my son speaks highly of me, Mr Riddle. Please, have a seat and forgive my lack of courtesy. It's rather taxing to sit and stand continuously throughout the day."

"There is nothing to forgive, My Lady. I can only begin to imagine the strain you are under during this time. I was told this morning that you wished to ask something of me," Tom stated after seeing to the niceties.

"Yes, there are several things actually," the man said, transferring Tom's attention to him.

"Forgive me, Gentlemen," Willa gasped. "May I introduce Nicholas, my husband?"

Tom stood and bowed deeply to the man. "It honours me that I can meet the man that Blaise speaks so highly of. I believe the only person who he holds higher is his mother. It is also wonderful to meet a kindred spirit. It isn't often you find someone willing to become the father of a child not theirs by blood."

Nicholas and Willa stared at Tom for a while before shaking themselves out of it.

"It was my privilege to raise Blaise as my own," Nicholas said with a warm smile. "He's a damn good kid. I couldn't be prouder of him. We couldn't be prouder of him."

"Which leads us to the first of our reasons to ask you here," Lady Zabini said. "Blaise wrote to us stating that he has found his mate in one of your charges. Is this correct?"

"This is correct, Lady Zabini," Tom gave them a half-smile. "I must be honest with you. To begin with I was not impressed by this fact – meaning no disrespect for you, your son or your family. It was more along the lines of a Father's unwillingness to believe that their daughter had grown into the beautiful woman they have been destined to become. I think it was harder on me because both my kits found their mates at the same time – one to your son and the other to the Malfoy heir. After pulling your son aside and talking to him, the

Founder of his house and Potions master Snape, I have come to respect him and am thankful that of all the males in the word, my 'Mione managed to capture one who will treat her with the respect and devotion she deserves. Are you feeling alright?" he asked with a frown as the lady before him tensed slightly and pushed down on her stomach gently.

"I'll be …" Lady Zabini whimpered before starting to hyperventilate when her husband raised a red-coloured hand from her leg, his face white.

"Do I have permission to bring someone to your manor?" Tom asked firmly, wasting no time.

"I, Nicolas Zabini, give Tom Riddle permission to bring whomever he wishes into the Manor as long as they wish us no harm."

As soon as the Zabini Lord had uttered those words, Tom had vanished, only to appear ten minutes later with four other people, two who were familiar, two who weren't.

"Blaise, I need you to move to whee your Father is, Mr Zabini, I need for you to collect every potion, balm and pill she has been prescribed and give them to 'Mione." Hermione waved a hand to indicate who she was. "Draco I need you to find the young ones and keep them from coming in here. I don't care how you do it, but do it. One of us will get you when it's over."

Draco nodded and left his relief visible.

"Tom, keep talking to her husband, keep him calm and let no on from out there in unless I request it. 'Mione, I'm going to need potion thirty-two as a definite and I'll tell you the rest as I go."

Hermione nodded and started to set up a portable potions lab out on the veranda so the fumes wouldn't harm anyone. Harry smiled calmly down at the panicking woman and carded his hands soothingly through her hair.

"Hello Mrs Zabini," he cooed slightly. "My name is Harry and I'm going to be your Healer for today. My blood-sister, Hermione, is going to be my helper." Harry slowly allowed a trickle of his magic to enter her system to calm her fears before placing both of is hands on her protruding stomach and allowing more of his magic to flow into her, seeking the problem. He mentally called out numbers of his more frequently used potions to Hermione as he found use for them.

"Nicholas?" Willa asked, panting for breath while the cool sensation removed the pain from her body.

"He's just doing a small job for me and is now talking to Tom. If you turn your head slightly to the left then you should see them."

"Blaise?"

"I'm here Mama," Blaise said, squeezing her hand gently. "You didn't think I would leave you and Papa to go through this alone do you?"

"Carla and Laynee?"

"Draco is with them. You know how much they love their Uncle Draco," Blaise answered.

"You have three children already Mrs Zabini?" Harry asked, still conversing with Hermione as she used her magic to examine the potions she had just been given.

"Yes. Blaise is my eldest at seventeen. Carla is our Princess and eight and Laynee, our Kitten at five."

Harry let out a soft, tinkling laugh. "It seems that it might get confusing every now and then when I come over to visit then. 'Mione and Tom always call me Kitten on the account that I'm a Cat-Demon."

"I always thought that Demon magic would be more … potent than this," Willa stated.

"Most Demon magic is," Harry smiled "Natural submissives have a less authoritative feel to their magic which makes us perfect Healers, Teachers and Mothers. Do you know the sex of you young ones yet?" he asked.

"No, our Healer said we wouldn't be able to know that for another four weeks. He also went on vacation once my complications started."

Before Harry could reply, Hermione let out a screech that could be heard through the glass before storming inside.

"Who gave you this potion?" Hermione almost snarled out of Nicholas who was walking backwards until his back hit the wall in fear. "Well?"

"Rinie, calm down and talk to me. What is the potion in question?" Harry soothed, now using his magic to check each foetus.

"On the label it says it is a potion to aid in Morning Sickness."

"Ok. Mrs Zabini, do you remember who gave you the potion for morning sickness?" Harry soothed.

"My Healer – Healer Johanson [prounounced Yo-han-son]. My morning sickness was only slight, but he insisted that I take it anyway. The complications started two weeks later."

"Thank you, my lady. Do you want to know the sex of the twins?" Harry asked.

"Yes please," she said, gesturing for her husband to come closer. "He says he can tell us the sex."

"I'm happy to say you are almost five months along and have two beautiful little boys. After "Mione and I fix the damage that has been done and have you cleaned up, I will get Draco to bring your daughters in and show you a picture of them."

"Thank you," Nicholas sighed out, kissing the side of his wife's head.

"What damage?" Willa asked nervously.

"First I will explain what has Rinie worked up, as that may explain some of what is wrong, however I can say that both you and the twins are low in potassium, the twins appear to be malnourished and the placenta and the walls of your uterus have lots of small tears in them. That is where the blood from earlier came from, by the way. Other than that, and a few physical problems, both boys are fine."

"Thank the gods," Willa muttered collapsing into the couch more in boneless relief.

"Now Rinie, the ingredients of the potion if you please."

Hermione nodded, eyes glimmering with suppressed rage. "Catnip, Passionflower and Celery," she started.

"That explains the potassium levels," Harry muttered, writing them down and handing the Zabini Matriarch the first potion he had Hermione make, which was to flush all other potions in the system out of both her and the twins. He smiled as his magic felt its effects almost instantly. "I'm guessing they were for anxiety and/or stress, but could also be the reason for the tears due to mini contractions they may have caused," Harry frowned slightly.

"Hermione nodded. "Evening primrose."

"Tenderness of the breast," Harry said with a nod of appreciation.

"Apple, rhubarb and vervain," Hermione continued, noticing the frown on Harry's face before anyone else could.

"Constipation, but not a combination I would use for a pregnancy," Harry muttered, making a series of notes. "Apple is good. It's soft on the stomach and the bowels unless you get an acid build up in your stomach, but rhubarb can cause for the uterus to contract – meaning micro contractions in small doses and the possibility of abortion," Harry frowned deeper, very happy he had given the lady his special potion. "Vervain could explain the slower-than-normal heart rate and the smaller-than-normal lung passages. Both of which take time and potions to fix," Harry scowled.

"Ginger and Raspberry," Hermione continued, starting to get nervous.

"Morning sickness and nausea," Harry muttered to himself. "Is that all Rinie?"

"No Harry … The last two ingredients were … were …" Hermione bit her lip and closed her eyes. "The last two ingredients were Black and Blue Cohosh," she whispered into the silent room.

Harry stilled instantly, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Do you wish to join me in destroying someone, beloved sister?" he asked, eyes glittering dangerously.

"Why yes, dearest brother, I do believe I do. What shall we do?"

"First, we tell the Zabini's what the big deal is. Then we do our best to fix that two-faced son-of-a-bitch's mess, then we show them there sons, then Blaise and Draco go back to the school, Tom stays here and watches Lady Zabini for me and we, my dear, we have an appointment with the Healer's Academy followed by a Court Hearing that will make that … that … that THING regret messing with his patients. I'll make sure he pays for this, even if I need to spell Veritaserum into his system myself!"

"What's wrong?" Blaise asked frantically. "You both just started hissing at each other."

Willa struggled to sit up and she grabbed Harry's arm. "Please tell me what is wrong with my babies."

Harry stroked a gentle hand through Willa's hair, soothing her without magic. "Your babies are fine," he cooed softly, "Nothing that a few doses of potions can't fix. The problem is the state of the placenta and the uterus itself. It can be fixed, but it will take time, frequent potions and a lot of bed rest on your part," he cautioned.

"Anything," Willa said.

"Alright, I'll give you the directions in a moment, but first, I need to explain something. Several of the ingredients for the potion we were concerned about have been used for decades past as uterine stimulants for females who are trying to stimulate their fertility cycle. If a woman takes a strong enough dose of one of these, it could lead to the abortion of a child."

Harry soothed the pale lady by running his hands down her inner arm, just like Hermione sometimes did to him. "Black and Blue Cohosh are two of the more powerful uterine stimulants and more often than not, abortion is the rule, not the exception. Do either of you read Pioneering Potions?"

"We both do," Nicholas said. "We own several apothecaries around Europe and a few farms here and there. It's always good to know which ingredients are going to be popular before time."

Harry nodded grimly. "Black Cohosh is also known as Actea racemosa or Macrotys actaeoides," he stated, pouring his magic into Lady Zabini to prevent her from hyperventilating. "Blue Cohosh is Caulophyllum thalictroides. Both are illegal to use without a declaration signed by the parents to be, two different Healers and forty-five percent of the members of the Healer's Academy – where all are invited. I know that this wasn't followed as I was never called to the meeting."

"What do I do to fix this?" Willa asked.

"We will give you a fresh set of potions, along with an oath that none of these potions will do you lasting harm - even if it doesn't feel like it to begin with. You are to take these potions at every meal with food. I'm sorry, but it has to be substantial for the potions to work. You are to be on complete bed rest until I say so and I'll be here twice a week."

Willa nodded. "I can do that. It will be hard for the girls though."

"I can talk to them," Harry said with a smile. "Now, who wants to see the twins?"

Hermione smiled and flamed into the room holding Draco and two beautiful girls. "We're finished and Harry is going to show a picture of the babies."

Draco nodded and led the happily squealing girls to the room holding everyone. Harry smiled at Draco, who introduced his mate to the giggling girls beside him.

"Ready … and … there we go," Harry smiled wistfully as he gazed at the black and white image of the two small boys curled up inside their mother's body.

Draco wrapped his arms around his mate's waist and placed butterfly kisses down his neck. "In a year's time, that will by you, Kitten," Draco murmured. "I can't wait for you to be swollen with my kits, nourishing them with your body. What a beautiful sight you will be."

Harry giggled and blushed slightly at Draco's words before cancelling the spell and walking to kneel at the girl's level. "I'm going to tell you something very important, okay?" he told them seriously. Both girls nodded with wide eyes. "I know there was a man that either came here or that your mama went to so she could make sure the twins were alright," Harry stated.

"I didn'th like him," Laynee said with a slight lisp due to her top two front teeth missing. "He wath phery rude: He tried to thmack Carla and me with hith bag lath thime he wath here."

"I want you to do something very important okay?" Harry waited for both girls to nod and pulled out two rings with grey stones on them before putting them on the right pinkie of both girls. "If that man ever comes here again, or your mama needs a Healer, I want you to press that stone," he pointed to the largest stone. "That will call me here so I can deal with either him or help your mama."

Both girls nodded seriously, making their parents and Blaise smile.

"Now," Harry stated. "I'm going to be coming every Wednesday and Sunday to check on your Mama. The man I want you to watch for has made your mama very sick and tired to hurt your little brothers."

Carla looked grim at this news while Laynee gasped.

"I know it was a bad thing for him to do, but I'm here to fix what he did and make sure that he gets punished for it, but your mama isn't allowed to move from her bed for anything. She can sit up or lay down, but no walking. This is so she can help your baby brothers get nice and strong. So, the second thing I want the two of you to do is to make sure she doesn't get bored. Talk to her, get her to read to you and even get her to help with your homework, but don't get too rough. Can you do that for me?"

Both girls' nodded seriously, making Harry beam at them.

"I knew I could count on the two of you. Now, I need two helpers to bring the potions up to your Mama's room while your Papa, Blaise and Draco bring Mama."

To Willa's, Nicholas' and Blaise's surprise, both girls hurried over to where the potions were and carried as many as they could out of the room.

[All information on the plants used in the potions were found in the following book]

*Castleman, M., 2001, _The New Healing Herbs : The classic guide to nature's best medicines featuring the top 100 time-tested herbs. _Hinkler.


	13. Chapter 12 - Of meetings, potions and gr

Chapter 12 – Of meetings, Potions and grey-eyed girls

Half an hour later, Harry and Hermione stormed into the Healer's Academy not stopping at the reception desk, both holding a thick folder in both hands. They heard the receptionist calling them back, but both of them ignored her. Walking briskly, it took the two of them only moments to find themselves outside the door leading to the directing members of the Healer's Academy. Giving a sharp rap, the two of them waited.

"Enter!" a deep masculine voice called.

The two of them entered.

"Mind Healer Granger," a silky feminine voice stated in shock. "Master Healer Harry. Why are the two of you here?"

"Mind Healer Yanize [pronounced Yah-Ni-S]," the two youngsters chorused with a bow. "Healer Trendan. Master Healer Emelaine [pronounced Em-eh-lane]."

"We are terribly sorry for intruding on your meeting Gentlemen," Hermione continued with a slight bow to the four men seated between her and the Head Healers of the best Healer School in the United Kingdom. "But this is important."

"How important can it be for two children to be sent," one of the older men muttered angrily.

"Important enough that one of the most prestigious families in the UK have hired me as their Healer for the rest of the Lady's pregnancy and are wanting satisfaction from their old Healer," Harry stated, eyes glowing brightly with suppressed rage. "The Lady in question is expecting twins – magical twins who share the same embryonic sack."

The three older Healers in the room quickly stood.

"Please excuse us, Gentlemen. This is something we must see to immediately," the deep masculine voice of Master Healer Emelaine stated.

Three of the four men nodded respectfully and stood, stating that they would reschedule the meeting for the following day. The fourth man followed them, grumbling the entire time about ungrateful children who didn't know their rightful place. After the door had closed behind the men and Mind Healer Yanize had informed the receptionist of what was occurring, the privacy wards surrounding the room flared and the five Healers fell into the exhausting and oft-times nasty job of investigating everything about the rogue Healer.

Awayinthelineline

Silence. Pure and utter silence. Every Professor who was in the Great Hall looked up, expecting to see some prank or another unfolding before their very eyes, instead they saw a black-haired, grey-eyed lady walking towards the Head Table with a silent Remus stumbling after her. It took a moment for them to realise that the werewolf was stumbling due to unheard laughter.

The unknown woman seated herself on the seat normally occupied by Sirius Black and started filling her plate, muttering about evil god-Demons.

"Don't be so down, you make a very attractive lady Sirius," Remus stated, eyes twinkling worse than Albus' had ever done, after someone unsilenced him.

The other teacher's stared at the woman, who was now revealed to be Sirius Black. Sirius spluttered.

"How the bloody Hell would you feel?" he managed to force through clenched teeth. "I am forced to look like this for another two days and I already have had the seventh year males ask me if I am attached and then asking if I'd be interested in entering a contract with them! One snooty bastard then decided that if I wouldn't' enter the contract with him, then he'd write home to Daddy and tell him that I was sleeping with the male students."

"So that is why I had Mr Schmitt in the hospital wing after your lesson," Poppy sighed.

"No," Sirius stated firmly. "The reason you had Mr Schmitt in the hospital wing after my lesson was because he decided to protest the use of the charms we were using today. Instead of doing something as 'plebeian' as dodge the incoming spell, he stayed there."

Poppy raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"It was charms against pregnancy that both sexes need to know and it was my third years. He is of the belief that any witch that gets pregnant when young is a good breeder," Sirus sighed, squeezing the bridge of his nose, much like Severus did in times of frustration. "He accused me of standing in the way of a pure-blood's right to have his pick of females to birth him children. If you read the note I sent you it would have explained everything."

Poppy had the grace to blush, but nothing was said as Severus stormed into the Great Hall, guiding a furious Draco and a very pale Blaise. The teachers watched as the dour man spoke to the two boys before making his way to their table.

"Everything alright Severus?" Remus asked as the man sank into his seat and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Define 'alright'," the man muttered.

Remus and Sirius exchanged looks before Remus stated piling food onto a clean plate while Sirius made an extra strong tea for the man. Severus nodded his thanks and sipped the tea with a thankful sigh.

"Willa almost lost the twins," Severus stated. "The mongrel Healer was feeding her a potion that would make her abort as a morning sickness cure. It was only thanks to young Harry that she didn't lose them today. He's put her on complete bed rest and will be visiting twice a week until they are born – going so far as to give Will's girls a ring each that will call him if he needs to be there on a day that he isn't visiting. He's gone to the Healer's Academy to get their permission to go after the original Healer."

"I hope that they will also put him straight about being the Zabini Healer. She should have an experienced Healer, not a child playing pretend!" Poppy exclaimed, making not only Sirus and Remus to growl, but Severus to turn towards her, glaring fiercely.

"Do NOT," he bit out, "speak of things you have no clue on. Miss Granger is a fully qualified Mind Healer and Harry is a fully qualified Master Healer. Technically, the two of them are YOUR superiors, considering you are only in possession of the basic Healers certificate."

"I agree with you, Mr Snape," a sibilant voice sounded behind them. "It is very unwise to look down your nose at those of younger generations. They are, after all, our future."

"Hi Tom," Remus, Sirius and Severus chorused as Draco and Blaise rose and hurried to join them.

"Is Mother alright?" Blaise asked, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.

"She is doing wonderfully," Tom soothed in his slightly rough voice. "The potion that she had when we first got there kicked in just after you two left. The rest of the potion that was left in her system was ejected and vanished." Tom smiled softly. "Your younger sisters were marvellous helps – they helped mop up the potion with rags and then they coaxed her into taking the rest of the potions Harry left for her. All three ladies were asleep before I came back."

Blaise sighed and collapsed in relief. Draco quickly grabbed at him and braced him until he could stand by himself once more. Tom shot him an understanding look.

"I'm guessing my Kits are not yet back."

Blaise, Draco, Remus, Severus and Sirus all shook their heads. Tom nodded and sat in an empty chair that was beside the potions master and helped himself to the food that was still present.

Nolineforabed

Harry and Hermione watched with hard eyes as the Aurors man-handed the unconscious ex-healer out of the room. Once they had left everyone let go of the breath they were holding.

"Thank Merlin we voted to use tracers on all of our Healers," Emma Trendan sighed, rubbing her temples. "Thank Merlin for Aurors as well. It would have been worse had they not come with us to collect him."

Jacob Yanize nodded with a grimace of pain. Out of the five people who had been hurt, he was the only one to have received a concussion from a bludgeoning hex that had been aimed at the two young Healers, one of whom was glaring at him for moving while he was being healed.

"I never expected it of Leonard Johanson," Blake Emelaine stated in shock. "If asked even twelve hours ago whether I believed he could do something like this, I would have denied it with everything in me."

"And all because his half-brother complained about how the Zabini family had the happiness and money that should have been theirs," Hermione snorted in disgust. "I don't know who this 'Merlin' fellow is, but I'll be thanking him every day for the rest of my life that Blaise is entirely his mother's son and has nothing of his paternal line in him."

Harry nodded his agreement, suddenly too exhausted to be bothered with talking.

Hermione smiled at him, weariness evident in her face. "We should be heading back to the school, Kit," she said as Harry finished healing what he could in the other, much older Healer.

Harry shook his head with a bashful smile. "You go back and tell everyone what the result was. I'll be there once I finish at the Zabini household. They deserve to know what is going to happen to the monster that almost cost them their sons." He turned and bowed to each of the three Head Members. "Thank you for your aid in the matter. 'Rinie's and my reports will be here either tomorrow or Friday –"

"Make it Monday, Master Healer Harry," Emma said with an exhausted smile, "Use tomorrow and Friday to recover and use the weekend to write up the report. This has drained us three to the point where we are going to need to reschedule everything from tomorrow to other days to recover and we haven't done half of what the two of you have done concerning this event."

Harry and Hermione bowed in unison and vanished in a flare of their elemental power.

"I'm finding myself more and more gratuitous that we allowed the two of them to gain their Master-ships when they did," Jacob muttered, eyes drooping. "It's become livelier here since then, for one."

The other two made noses of agreement before heading to their separate rooms, intent of forgetting that the entire day had even occurred.

Harry was thankful that the room he appeared in was both dark and quiet. The day had taken more out of him than he was willing to admit. Not only had he received a new patient, but he had been around strangers most of the day, so he had been fighting his instinct to transform while taking charge of the situation. The only what he succeeded to maintain any semblance of holding it together was by thinking of the two unborn babe's and how he would feel if he were in Lady Zabini's place. By the time everything had finished, his magic had accepted the Zabini Clan as family. He was pleasantly surprised when the Zabini family magic flared and accepted him into the family as a close family friend.

He shook himself from his thoughts and headed towards the bed and proceeded to pull all of the sheets off it before shadowing into another room and repeating the process another five times. He hesitated for five minutes before nodding decisively and entering two other rooms and stealing a pillow from each bed. Once he got to his final destination, he arranged all his stolen linen just the way he licked it and curled up and fell asleep, purring contentedly as the individual scents of his family combined into a single feeling – Security.

Thelittlelinejesus

When it had been an hour from when Hermione had returned and Harry still hadn't, Remus started to worry. The brunette girl had fallen asleep curled up on the seat beside Blaise, who followed her into the land of dreams very quickly, his anxiety over his mother and unborn brothers wearing him out emotionally.

Silently, Remus watched as Draco struggled to stay awake for his mate before losing and slumping over, causing Severus to chuckle softly.

"We should get them to bed, don't you think?" Sirius' voice drifted over them from the door. "We know that no matter how exhausted 'Mione is, she wouldn't fall asleep unless Harry was safe."

"Yes, and we know he is somewhere nearby," Tom's amused voice called from the room he was sharing with his kits.

"How do you know that?" Draco asked, having jerked awake at the sound of Harry's name.

"Because," Tom chuckled, "Harry's, mine and 'Mione's beds have been stripped of sheets, blankets and pillows. I suggest that everyone go check their rooms. Chances are that he will be in the room of the person he hasn't removed at least one item from."

"Why would he do that?" Blaise asked sleepily.

"He's nesting," Remus said with a gentle smile. "He's always done it when he needs comfort but can't handle being around people."

"He was surrounded by mostly strangers for most of today," Hermione mumbled, not fully awake, but coherent enough to get her point across. "Not only that, but he had to direct and interact with each and every person while explaining what was happening, what was going to happen, what would happen should anyone not be where they should be or not do what they should do, all whilst fighting the urge to transform. He succeeded marvellously. That is why I came here instead of remaining with him." She shrugged. "He's most likely in either Remus' or Draco's rooms. My bet's on Remus' as that way no one can dispute that he and Draco broke any part of the contract by being in a locked room together for any length of time."

Remus chuckled and moved into his room, careful to use only candlelight to see by until he had established their Kit wasn't on – or in – his bed. Finding his bed kitten less, he lit the torches around the room, slowly increasing the intensity until they could see properly but it wouldn't disturb a sleeping teen.

Sirius chuckled softly as purring broke the silence of the room, making everyone turn to glare at the man in female body. Shaking his head in amusement, he pointed his wand at the large bed and wordlessly levitated it, revealing a haphazardly made nest complete with one kitty-Demon curled up in, on and around the different fabrics.

"There are mine, Harry's and Hermione's things," Tom chuckled softly.

"Mine as well," Sirius and Draco stated with soft smiles.

"And one of my pillows," Blaise said in amusement. Harry moved slightly, pulling the two pillows he had in his arms closer to him and snuggling into them further.

Severus blinked. "Is that MY pillow?" he asked in bewilderment, making everyone laugh softly as they darkened the room once more and left to organise bedding for their own beds so they could also visit their own dreams.

Laydownhislinehead

Harry whined softly in his sleep as a gentle breeze tickled one of his ears. Soft laughter bought him to full wakefulness as another breath of air teased his ear. Turning around, he blinked as he came nose-to-nose with Remus. He purred as the sandy-haired man started to rub his fingers through Harry's hair, scratching the areas behind his ears.

"Morning Remy," Harry yawned, revealing his sharp teeth and slightly curled tongue.

"Morning kit," Remus replied, eyes dancing. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Marvellous," he slowly uncurled himself and stretched. "What are you doing in here?"

Remus laughed. "You chose my room to nest in last night. I was starting to fret before Sirius and Tom calmed me."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Harry squeaked with a blush. "I didn't mean to kick you out of your room."

"You didn't kitten. I still slept in my bed; I just had to put a ward on the mattress so that it didn't move during the night."

"Thank you Remus," Harry smiled shyly. "Was there a reason you needed to wake me?"

"Well, we thought that you would like to eat breakfast with us while we discuss out plans for the day. I also suspect that Blaise, Draco and Severus would like to know how Lady Zabini is after discovering he had been dealt with."

Harry nodded slightly shocked. He hadn't realised that he had slept for so long. He shook himself and started to untangle himself from the things surrounding him. "Would Rinie and I be able to use your pensieve later? We have a report each to write and I just want to make sure that we get all the facts right."

"Of course; I'll bring it down to the table after breakfast. Your clothes are in the bathroom and breakfast will be ready in half an hour." Remus gently closed the door behind him, leaving their kitten to prepare for the day.

Half an hour later, Harry appeared in the dining room with a bashful smile on his face. "I'm sorry for yesterday and last night," he whispered only just loud enough for everyone to hear. "I know that plans had been made, but I felt that what was done was more important at the time."

"More important than getting to know your mate and his family?" Tom asked with a raised brow ridge.

"To be completely honest, yes," Harry stated with no hesitation. "Forget for a moment that the people from yesterday were related to Blaise ... A lady is having not one baby, but two – a rare thing in the muggle world but even rarer in the magical world. In fact, only one out of every three million, seven hundred and sixteen thousand, two hundred and twenty eight conceptions result in a magical set of twins. In the last three hundred and sixty five years there have only been ten cases of magical twins being conceived and of those, only six survived as a set. Three of those six have been born in the last fifty years. Gideon and Fabien Prewett: George and Fredrick Weasley and Padma and Pavatti Patil. I would like for this set to also survive to become the seventh to survive beyond conception." He took a sip of the tea Hermione sat beside him, giving her a nod of appreciation and a small smile.

"Now, of those twins that are conceived, one set from every three thousand share an embryonic sack. In the last two thousand, five hundred years there have been three sets like this. This means that if anything happens to one of them, both will be lost. Lady Zabini has the third case of this occurrence so both boys were being poisoned by someone she had one hundred per cent trust in. If she had continued taking the potion she was on, she would have lost them in any time from a week from yesterday to a month." He looked Tom directly in the eye, making Tom look away first due to the determination in his green eyes.

"No Mother – no FAMILY – deserves that. Now address that this Lady isn't some stranger who I wouldn't know if I passed her on an empty street. She is Blaise's mother – Rinie's Mother in law. Draco's aunt in all bar blood. She is FAMILY. If anything happened to those two babies – or even just one of them – our family would never be the same. There would be an empty area in everyone's heart that may shrink in time but would never be filled."

Harry moved his gaze until he had locked his eyes with everyone in the room and had forced them to look away from the strength of his gaze before returning them to his Mentor. "I am a Master Healer. My job is to offer aid to those in trouble, no matter who or what they are or what they may or may not have done. Anyone who tries to talk me out of it will fail – especially if there are children involved."

Tom smiled and nodded, hiding a chuckle as Draco and Blaise hugged Harry in thanks. If anyone noticed the slight tremors coming from Blaise' shoulders or the slight tang of saline in the air, no one mentioned it.

Thelinesinthebrightsky

Severus watched in amusement as Harry and Hermione played a hand game that was popular when he was young to decide who got to use the pensieve between them first. After discussing schedules, it was decided that Tom, Harry, Hermione and he would stay in the same room. He and Tom would discuss whatever it was that they were going to talk about the previous day while Harry and Hermione wrote their reports. After lunch, Severus had decided to allow the two Demon entrance into a typical lesson he held for his sixth year NEWT class. He was quite interested in obtaining an honest critique from the two of them. Once Tom sat in front of him, Severus turned his entire attention to him, barely noting in the back of his mind that Harry had once again pulled out his stack of magazines and a pen before settling into the uncomfortable chair in an awkward position.

An hour later, Hermione appeared from the pensieve and emptied it of its content before placing a hand on Harry's shoulder to get his attention. The two of them cleared the area, surrounding the boy and stacked it neatly before Hermione grabbed a stack of pens and parchment and split them between the two spaces at the table while Harry retreated into the newly filled pensieve.

After another hour, Harry re-appeared and silently set to work on his own report. By this time, Tom had retrieved a book written in a spidery looking language and was deeply entranced in it and Severus was halfway through marking the assignments he had assigned his first years the week before. A comfortable silence filled the room as pen and quill skated across parchment.

Looklinewherehelay

Just as Remus opened the door to his rooms to let himself, Sirius, Blaise and Draco in, he heard twin sighs of relief and the sound of two writing implements hit the table.

"Finished already?" the four of them heard Tom ask.

"Yeah," Hermione groaned. "Six and a half inches detailing from when you came and got us to just before we left."

"Eight and three quarter inches covering from you getting us to after telling the Zabini's that he had been captured," they heard Harry state, exhaustion in his voice. "I'm going to make some tea, would anyone else like some?"

"Yes please," everyone called out, while the four new comers hurried into the dining room.

Thelittlelinejesus

Draco looked down at the black head that was resting on his lap as its owner napped. Across from them Hermione was in a similar position as her brother but on Blaise' lap. The two boys caught each other's eye and smiled, shaking their heads ironically. They had decided to go for the picnic at the Lake and after a small amount of food, both Demons had fallen asleep. Shrugging, both boys stood and picked up their respective mates before heading back to Remus' rooms.

Asleepontheline

Harry stood before the door to the potions classroom and tried to control the shaking of his hands.

"There's nothing to be scared of," Severus murmured softly, secretly chuckling at the boy.

"I know," Harry murmured back. "I'm not only scared, I'm nervous. You are a Master at the art of potions … what if I cut something wrong? What if I add the wrong ingredient? What if …"

"Harry, Yong One," Severus said, placing a hand on the Demon's shoulders, gaining a nod of approval from Hermione. "I will say this once so listen carefully. "He lowered himself until he was at Harry's eyes level. "You and Hermione are just as good at potions as I am. The only difference between the two of you and me is that I devoted my life to the teaching, creation and invention of potions. You two have dedicated your lives to saving the lives of other s and your potions ability reflects that choice. The two things you made the other day in my test? I didn't learn how to make either of them until I was in my final year of apprenticeship, and even now I cannot get them to the potency you two did."

"I understand," Harry stated softly. "It's just … It's you. You have been one of my biggest heroes and sources of inspiration for so long that the thought of letting you down is worse pain than a physical blow. Add to that the fact you are a close family member of Draco's …" Harry shrugged helplessly. "I don't want to give you a reason to not like me."

"How about this?" Severus asked more than a little freaked out at the depth of the boys' hero worship of him, "When I am in the general public or at a function, I am Potions Master Snape. While at the school I am just Professor Snape – a man who tries to teach thick-headed imbeciles how to make a half decent potion. In private I am just plain old Severus Snape, Draco's godfather. Think you can handle that?"

Harry nodded, his eyes showing his resolve firming. Without another word, Severus stood and opened the door, leading the two Demons into the room. Silently he pointed the two in the direction of empty seats. He internally winced when he noticed they were on opposite sides of the room, but heaved a sigh of relief when they separated and seated themselves comfortably.

"Today, we are going to continue on antidotes. For those of you who missed it due to the sudden outbreak of nose-bleeds and stomach bugs thanks to a parting gift from the Weasley twins last year, we covered the outline of this year's topics and listed the most common poisons and their antidotes. We also discussed muggle poisons and touched on whether or not one of our poison antidotes would be effective on them in the event that a witch or wizard was unlucky enough to be targeted."

"If you contacted one of your classmates and obtained their notes and your homework assignment then you will have no problems with this potion. Turn to page three hundred and eighty six and get started. You are working with the person beside you."

Harry turned to the girl beside him with a shy smiled. "Hi, I'm Harry."

The girl smiled dreamily back at him. "Luna … Would you like to read through the potion while I get the ingredients?" Without waiting for an answer, she gently placed the book before him, open to the correct page. Even though it was a potion he knew inside out and back to front, Harry copied the entire section on the potion and duplicated it, handing the second copy to Luna when she returned.

"So if anything gets spilt or explodes, your potions book won't get ruined," Harry blushed as he explained at her questioning gaze. He fought to extract himself from her odd eyes. He couldn't tell if they were a blue so pale they looked grey or if they were grey with a tint of blue. He was released when she blinked.

"Did you know you have a nest of glimmering humdingers in your hair?" she asked with a small smile.

"I did," Harry replied with a small smile as he handed her his orange highlighter and pulled his papers towards him, moving closer to Luna who blinked at him in surprise. "And Rinie – my sister – has a nest of wrackspurts in her hair. They keep away the Heliopaths. They seem to be attracted to her flame. Mine just enjoy eating the shadows of the people around me. If it bothers you, I can send them to Rinie."

"No, they don't bother me. Do you think I could send one to Daddy? He researches these types of creatures for his paper and magazine."

Harry nodded happily before scanning the pages before him and highlighting several things. "Prepping or adding?"

"Hmm … Prepping, I think. If you are my partner again I'll add. I need more practice with prepping anyway."

Harry nodded and started to get the cauldron ready for the ingredients, stopping every now and then the give Luna a hint, suggestion or alternate preparation technique. By the end of the lesson, Harry had aided and guided Luna into making her first perfect potion. Severus couldn't have been prouder of the boy.

Hermione, on the other hand, almost put her partner into the hospital wing after he decided to cop a feel of her arse. Severus, who had been standing behind the pair without the human knowing, had not had time to act before the kid was flat on the ground with one eye purpling rapidly and looking up at a snarling Demon with eyes wide – or as wide as they could go when one of them was rapidly swelling shut.

"I told you several times that I was in the process of courting and yet you still had the gall to touch me in a place my intended isn't even allowed to touch. How Dare You! Be thankful that I hold Professor Snape in high regard or you would be tied on the ceiling with nothing on over a boiling cauldron before you could register you were no longer on the ground."

"You are deranged! You should be put down before you harm someone!" the kid shouted

Hermione grinned at him, revealing sharp teeth. "I'm a Demon," she pointed out as though to a three year old. "I'm the epitome of things from your nightmares." She grinned wider when he fainted.

Severus chuckled to himself. He laughed outright when – after he released the class – Harry bounced over to him and Hermione, dragging his lab partner behind him.

"Rinie, this is Luna. She sees the hidden creatures too. Can I keep her?" Harry's eyes grew large, round and an even more intense green.

"You can keep me as a friend," Luna's voice stated, slightly less dreamy than usual, but full of happiness, "but you cannot have me as a pet – my Daddy would miss me too much."

"Okay! Harry chirruped happily. "Come on, I want to introduce my new friend to Tom and Remy and Siri and Blaise and Draco and everyone!" He grabbed Luna's hand and bounced out of the room, pulling the beaming girl with him.

Severus looked at Hermione questioningly.

"Don't ask," she groaned. "When he's in this mood, he's Sirius' problem."

The Potions Master nodded then blinked as his door was forcefully opened to reveal Harry and Luna once more.

"I'm so sorry, I was so rude! Luna, this is Professor Snape. Professor Snape, this is Luna. She's my newest friend! And guess what Luna? Professor Snape is really THE Potions Master Severus Snape. Isn't that just so cool?" Harry left the room once again, this time squealing with suppressed excitement.

Severus and Hermione groaned in unison and glared at the softly chuckling man in the doorway.

"Sirius is the babysitter tonight I take it," Remus said when he'd calmed down.

"Yes," Hermione and Severus chorused.

"Good, he's the only one who gives him the catnip tea bend."

Severus and Hermione groaned once more. It was definitely a job for Sirius.


	14. Chapter 13 - Farewell for now

Chapter 13 – Farewell … for now

Luna looked around the empty room with interest. As soon as they had arrived, her new – and only – friend had bounced around the entire set of rooms in an attempt to find his make-shift family. Instead of pouting, as she had half expected him to do – the hyperactive teen had muttered something about tea and bounced into the kitchen after telling her to make herself at home.

She giggled softly as one of the glimmering humdingers from her new friends' nest flew over to her, chattering in an agitated way.

"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at Humdingish yet," she apologised to the glaring creature. "All I managed to catch was 'mutter mutter mutter TROLL mutter screech TURNIP scree scree mutter mutter TURTLE.'"

"He said, 'Trust the *expletive* troll of a turnip-headed mutt to do something like this to his nest-bed. I wonder how hard it would be to turn him into a turtle,' " a deep voice chuckled, making Luna jump.

"Thank you for translating for me Sir," Luna stood and gave a shaky curtsy. "I started learning Humdingish a few days before returning for the school year. I'm Luna Lovegood. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Tom smiled and gave a shallow bow in return. "I am Tom Riddle, Miss Lovegood. Tell me, what other languages are you interested in learning?"

Luna returned to her seat and rubbed the head of the now calm creature with her pinkie.

"Father has taught me several already," she smiled. "I already know troll, mermish, sasquatch and dwarfish but there are so many left to learn. I think we are moving onto gobbledegook after I master Humdingish."

"A noble goal," Tom agreed with a nod, also taking a seat. "It is always a good idea to know the native language of those you do business with on a near daily basis. Have you given thought to …"

A loud crash from the kitchen bought both of them to their feet. As one, they rushed to the door and gaped before Luna dissolved into a puddle of giggles whilst Tom fought his own laughter. There, seated on the floor, was Harry. He had a wide-eyed innocent look on his face while around him tea leaves, sugar and flour lay spread out and mixed with broken glass. Wrapped loosely around the mischief maker was a long piece of dark blue wool and a silver ribbon was dangling over his left eye.

Hermione, Severus and Remus entered the room, only to hear: "It wasn't me, honest," and laughter as Tom lost his battle with his control.

Severus gaped as he took in the destruction of the kitchen. They were only ten minutes behind the other two. How in the name of all things magical did one person do so much damage?

"And this would be why he is Sirius' problem," Remus sighed in resignation as he stared at the mess in his kitchen. "He's the only one hyperactive enough to keep up with him when he is like this."

"Please tell me Harry has something good planned to go with tea this afternoon," Sirius groaned, rubbing his temples as he glared at his two extra assets. "I swear I'll never look at a girl for her boobs alone ever again."

"We aren't having tea this afternoon" Remus growled. "And did you, by chance, give Harry catnip tea again?"

Sirius looked at Remus in surprise. "Do you honestly think I'd do that after they did this to me? I'm terrified of transforming to dog form: What if Padfoot is also female and goes into heat? I know for a fact that neither Fang, nor the beast Hagrid named 'Fluffy' has been fixed!" he started to hyperventilate. "I can't chance it! And I can't do anything like I used to because I'm not used to this body! I want my own back!"

Remus and Hermione exchanged horrified looks, both being certain that Sirus was the culprit. Before they could react, Harry was before them, bouncing on the balls of his feet with a giggling Luna behind him.

"Hi Remi! Hi Siri!" he shouted, waving his free hand around frantically. "This is Luna. She's my new friend! Luna this is my Uncle Remi and Uncle Siri. Siri is a girl now because he's being punished. He was a very bad puppy!"

Severus and Remus snorted in amusement as Sirius lowered his head onto his arms and groaned softly. He really didn't need this right now. He was tired, stressed, frustrated and almost in tears. All he wanted was a cup of tea and a sweet to hold him over until supper time while he over saw his and Minerva's combined detention. He did weep when the door opened and Harry squealed, "Draco!" and ran to the blonde, still dragging Luna with him.

It was after Harry had chattered away for almost half an hour to Blaise – who was attempting to escape the talkative demon – and an amused Draco that it happened. Somehow Harry touched Draco's skin with his own hand and a brilliant flash of light filled the room. When everyone could see, they laughed at seeing the now shy and deeply red Harry trying to hide his face in Draco's chest as the blonde male laughed.

"Thank you for the fun afternoon, Harry," Luna's voice said, making the teen look at her in confusion. "It was the most fun I've had in a long time, but I must be going."

"Why?" Harry pouted. "Couldn't you stay just a little bit longer?"

Luna gave the slightly older teen a brilliant smile. "Thank you for asking, but I have a few things to do homework wise. I would also like to read over and make a summary of tomorrow's lessons."

"What are you doing tomorrow after the main meal?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

Harry flushed slightly. "Several reasons, really," he mumbled. "The first is that I really enjoyed your company and was hoping you would like to continue being my friend."

Luna beamed at him. "I would like that very much. I know you are a very busy person, so when I come tomorrow I'll bring my schedule and diary so we can organise a few times a week to spend together."

"How about three times a week: two social and one 'tutoring' session?" Harry asked hopefully. "I remember you mentioning you needed to practice ingredient preparation. I was thinking that I could teach you the basics of potions preparation while also teaching you to cook a few simple recipes – it's safer to teach with herbs, spices and vegetables and not as expensive. You also get to feel, smell and taste the difference – something you can't do with a potion."

Luna stared at Harry, who met her gaze without hesitation, allowing her to search for what reassurance she needed. After a few moments, she smiled.

"I would like that immensely," she chirruped. "I'll write Father immediately to tell him about it. I'll remember to tell him you are a claimed submissive as well, so he won't charge up here with threats."

Harry laughed as he hugged the girl farewell while leaving most of the people in the room in a stunned silence.

itsasmalllineafterall

"Can someone explain what that was about?" Blaise asked as Remus and Harry began clearing the table and Sirius – now very thankful to have been able to gain his true, male form back – started to organise his things for the detention he was supervising, a cup of very sweet tea beside him.

"It turns out that the hyperactivity was a result of Draco's magic reaching out for Harry. After all, the contract between the two of them was accepted only two nights ago and since then neither had spent much time together. Harry wasn't as badly affected since he slept curled up in Draco's bedding last night, while Draco didn't get any physical contact between the two of them this morning to reassure himself that his mate was okay, nor to feed. That is the reason that as soon as Luna left, Draco pounced."

"What about his reaction to Miss Lovegood?" Severus asked.

"Luna is a submissive creature herself," Tom chuckled. "I'm not too sure which one, however."

"Nymph," Harry said with a small smile. "She said I could tell you all before she left. She communes with the elements, which is why she always seems to be a little bit dreamy and is why she can see the hidden ones. She also gave me a message for you Tom. She said we had to talk to Salazar about a Chamber for there you will find what you are looking for."

Tom nodded in confusion. He decided to talk to the human serpent-speaker once curfew arrived. That way, no student could annoy him with insidious questions. Honestly, fancy asking him if he only ate rats when he had a plate full of the same food they themselves had just eaten before him."

coldheartedline

Tom smiled at his two kits. When the two of them had discovered him talking to the Founder of the serpent's house, neither of them allowed him out of their sight and he had had to allow them to come with him. Privately he was overwhelmed with a warm tingling feeling sitting in his chest when it hit him that they wanted to do this with him – not for their own curiosity, but to be there for him should the small flame of hope that had re-ignited at the young Nymphs' words be crushed yet again.

"Go in the door on the left," Salazar murmured. "When I was alive, this was just a washroom – a place to clean up after potions or Herbology – not a female chamber pot room."

Harry and Hermione giggled and followed their mentor into the room, blinking when one of the basins moved at a hissed 'open'. The three demons exchanged looks then ran over to the slide-like entrance. All three of them jumped – one at a time – into the hole, all releasing sounds of enjoyment at the treat.

"Have fun?" Salazar asked with poorly concealed amusement.

"An immense amount," Tom replied with a rarely seen spark in his eye. "I'm assuming we follow the trail of skeletons."

Salazar chuckled softly. "That would be correct."

The three demons shrugged and carefully made their way towards the opening on the other end of the wide tunnel.

~Open~ Salazar spoke once more, causing the serpentine locking mechanism to unlock.

Once again the three demons entered the room cautiously just before an annoyed voice called out:

"Who the bloody Hell are you and what are you doing here?"

Tom gaped as Hermione called upon her flames so the three demons could see the speaker properly. Standing before them was a tallish woman with acid-green slit pupils, black scales framed her face and covered the rest of her head and her teeth were small, sharp and pointed backwards.

"Forgive our intrusion, my Lady," Tom purred, bowing in the traditional fashion between demon of the same rank and/or species. "My name is Tom Riddle – last surviving member of the Gaunt Clan. The two half-hatchlings to my side are my former students and part of my extended adopted family, Miss Hermione Granger and Harry."

Both teens gave a bow of a subordinate to an older, more experienced demon, causing the mysterious lady to relax slightly from her defensive position.

"I am Nagini. I was discovered by Bathilda – the protector of this place – when I was but a snakeling. I've been here ever since – leaving only when Bathilda or I heard of possible demon clans I might belong to."

"I too, have been searching for other snake demon clans. I stopped my search momentarily when my kits called for my presence, but now they are both grown and have met their mates, I have decided to resume my search. You are welcome to join me if you wish."

Harry let out a small, sad mewl when Tom revealed his plans, but did his best to stifle the sound. Tom had already spent twelve valuable years teaching him and Hermione and he couldn't blame him for wanting to find a family of his own now that he and Rinie were on the verge of starting their own families.

Tom chuckled softly and knelt before Harry to look into his eyes. "It's only 'see you soon,' not 'farewell'," he stated softly. "No matter what I do or where I go, you and Hermione will always be my Prince and Princess. Nothing and I mean NOTHING will or can change that. I'll still be in writing distance and I will visit every few months, not to mention visit for birthdays, holidays and weddings."

Harry nodded. "I know Tom, I'm just being silly." He wiped his tears away and gave a giant grin. "You have to find yourself a Clan and a mate. You promised us that we would have younger siblings and I'm still waiting!"

Tom laughed and ruffled Harry's hair as he stood only to be engulfed in a hug by two teary-eyed kits.

Nagini smiled slightly at the sight.

~Hello Bathilda~ she watched in shocked amusement as Tom and his kits froze at the new presence before all of them shifted to their animal forms as a defence. She smiled wider as she saw the green-eyed kitten curled protectively under a red fox while both smaller creatures were wrapped protectively in the coils of a white and silver king cobra with red eyes.

Hissing laughter came from behind Nagini. ~Hello snakelings ~ a feminine voice which was deep with age hissed. ~You must be the guests Master Salazar guided here. I am Bathilda, the Slytherin family guardian~

Nagini and Bathilda watched in interest as the kitten uncurled and slowly returned to his human form.

~Forgive us for our response to your presence, my Queen~ the boy hissed softly with a deep bow. ~We have met others of your kin before and it almost cost us a member of our family~

Bathilda paused in surprise at the Kit's words.

~We are also used to it being just the three of us in a human inhabited area so everything non-human was considered a threat – particularly with an unclaimed submissive with us~ the fox demon added, standing in front of the young man now she had also transformed.

~It is alright~ Bathilda hissed, watching the still weary snake demon as he returned. ~It is my own fault for appearing as I did. Salazar did warm me against it~

"If you don't mind Mr Riddle," Nagini interrupted softly. "May I talk you offer over with Bathilda?"

"Of course," Tom replied with a smile, now he was assured of the basilisk's word. "I will not be leaving until dawn, so take all the time you need. I would like to stay in this room, however, if neither of you mind."

~I do not mind. Come along Nagini, I feel we have several hours of talking to do~

Nagini gave a shallow bow to the three guests and hurried after the ancient basilisk.

therelivedanoldladywhoswallowedaline

Harry held tight to Hermione's hand as the two of them followed Tom, Nagini and Bathilda along a well-worn path. It was only a few minutes before false dawn and they were being led to where the school's wards ended to farewell Tom and Nagini as they started their joint journey. He desperately tried to be happy for Tom – he could feel the waves of joy flowing from the older demon from where he was – but there was a small part deep in is chest that hurt immensely.

When Hermione squeezed his hand slightly, he looked up and gave her a real smile, noticing that she gave one back with the same sad spark in her eye that was in his. Both of them laughed softly at themselves before running to catch up with the rest of the group who were standing on either side of the hidden entrance.

"It is a lovely day to begin a journey," Nagini murmured, looking at the sky.

"That it is, my dear. That it is," Tom answered with a grin.

~Where are you planning on going first~ Bathilda asked as the two kits ran up to them.

~I was thinking of going through Europe first before going through the Americas, Australia then Africa and the Middle East~ Tom replied.

~Sounds good to me~ Nagini smiled.

Tom smiled and hugged Harry and Hermione to him tightly. "There is a letter for each of you on your respective beds. I want you to do me a favour and open them tonight instead of right away. Can you do that for me?"

"We can Tom," Hermione whispered, thankful to hear no waiver in her voice. "Don't forget to write us."

"Yeah," Harry cut in with a mischievous grin. "We want to hear everything! Where you go, what you see, who you meet, when your mate's eggs hatch…"

Tom let go of a laughing Hermione in order to attack Harry's sides with his fingers. Taking her chance, Hermione turned to Nagini and patiently waited for the female demon to finish her own farewell to her companion of several decades.

"Hermione?" Nagini asked when she noticed her.

Hermione smiled and bowed to the older female. "I hope you find what it is you are searching for. Remember to write us also and don't worry, neither I nor Harry will allow Bathilda to become too lonely."

"Yes, we'll visit every day," Harry chirped, bouncing over to the three females. He threw his arms around a shocked Nagini and hugged her tightly. "Take care of yourself and … and take care of Tom too please. He's horrible at taking care of himself," he whispered.

"I promise," Nagini whispered back and shocked the both of them by kissing the teen on the forehead. "I'll write frequently as well. Expect lots of small gifts too."

Harry giggled softly and released his newest family member. "Be safe."

Tom smiled. "We will Kitten. You take care of everyone for me alright?"

Harry nodded, waving as the two snake demons walked away and ignored the sharp pains coming from his chest and behind his eyes.

~Come Hatchlings~ Bathilda hissed after almost forty-five minutes had passed. ~Let's return to the Chamber. Would you like to stay for a few hours~

~We'd love to~ Hermione answered, glancing worriedly at her silent younger brother.

Bathilda nodded and gently nudged Harry's chin. ~Do not fret snakeling~ she said ~they will be back sooner than you think~

Harry nodded and smiled at the enormous snake. ~Thank you. We'll have to leave at about six to make it back in time to make breakfast, but we can stay until then~ the three of them re-entered the tunnel, laughing and chatting like old friends.

undertheline

When Severus, Draco and Blaise arrived at Remus' rooms that morning, it was to the sight of a mountain of food ranging from plain buttered toast to magnificent creation made of sugar and very little else.

"Father will meet us after breakfast," Draco told Remus as he sat down. He wanted to eat breakfast with mother."

Remus smiled before chuckling at Blaise' yelp of shock as another plate of colourful cakes appeared where his left hand originally had been. "Don't worry; we don't have to eat all this. Harry got a letter from Mrs Figg asking for a cake or plate of biscuits to contribute to the stall they are having today. Ever since he has been baking and making everything he can think of. This is his third batch of everything. I'm expecting an owl any minute now."

As soon as Harry walked into the room, Draco was out of his seat with his arms around his mate.

"What's wrong, Kitten?" he asked as he carried the teen back to his seat. Harry buried his fact into Draco's neck and refused to answer.

"What happened?" Draco asked Hermione when she entered and looked sadly at Harry.

"Tom left today at dawn," she answered robotically. "And a few seconds ago the mentor bond he forged with us broke."

Blaise flew out of his chair to Hermione's side, pulling her into a strong hug while Draco pulled Harry closer to him. No one said a word as soft sobs filled the room, everyone feeling useless to do anything about it.


	15. Chapter 14 - Meeting Mr-In-Law

Chapter 14 – Meeting Mr-in-law

Lucius took a deep breath and knocked on the door before him. He had told the people in the Ministry and the businesses he owned that he would be unavailable for anything bar the most pressing of emergencies. Many of his associates accepted it, but there were a few people – the Minister included – who were less than happy with him for it and it wasn't until he put his foot down and threatened to put them up for criminal charges with the creature's rights department that they finally stopped.

He nodded his greeting to Remus as he opened the door and stopped cold at the sight before him. Draco and Blaise were seated side-by-side on the two seater lounge with their respective mates seated sideways on their laps so their legs were entwined. The thing that caught his attention the most however was the sight and scent of saltwater that was surrounding the four of them.

"What happened?"

Draco murmured something to Harry who nodded.

"Tom left this morning," Blaise stated softly as he gently stroked Hermione's hair. "A few moments ago the mentor bond between him and them snapped."

"How have they taken it?" Lucius asked as he moved into the room to stand behind the two couples.

"We will be alright," Hermione said with a sad smile.

"We know he will come back," Harry murmured sleepily, "it was just a shock because we weren't expecting it."

Lucius gave into his desire and ran one of his hands through both Harry's and Hermione's hair, smiling when they both slightly leaned into his caress.

"Harry, I'm sorry but I have to go to class now. Will you be alright?" Draco asked.

Harry and Hermione smiled at their mates. "We will be."

Draco nodded and stood, blinking when he and Blaise ended up with an armful of animal rather than their mates.

Remus and Sirius laughed softly. "Looks like you will be having company of two sleeping kits, Lucius."

Lucius chuckled and sat on one of the seats. "It's a good thing I bought some things to do, isn't it? Now," he said with mock firmness, "pass me my soon-to-be son-in-law and his sister and head off to class."

Draco and Blaise laughed and with one last pat/scratch/snuggle type thing with their mates, they placed the two of them beside the older blond, who had pulled a book from his pocket and started reading it, absentmindedly patting the combined ball of kitten and fox.

With a chuckle, everyone left the room heading out for the day.

-bunny bunny bunny-

Lucius chuckled as a black blur launched itself at the paper he had just pushed to the opposite side of the table. It was just after eleven and while Hermione had changed back after she had woken, Harry had remained in his kitten form.

"I hope that isn't important," Hermione said with a smile as she waked into the room with a tea set for two and a saucer of milk.

Lucius smiled and shook his head. "Not important at all. My businesses have an annoying policy of separating the sections of their reports with a blank page. It's such a waste because they won't use the paper again. I normally put it into a draw in my desk and use it for notes, drafts and letter to people who would faint at the sight of the Malfoy parchment."

Hermione nodded as she placed the tray down before picking Harry up and scratching his stomach. Her laughter joined Lucius' when Harry attempted to latch onto her hand.

I have everything ready for lunch; I just have to put it into the oven in about fifteen minutes so it's ready in time for when everyone gets here."

Lucius chuckled when Harry purred happily and licked Hermione's hand before jumping down and running to the saucer. As he and Hermione stated with their own drinks, Lucius bathed in the knowledge that his son would be happy with his somewhat quirky mate.

-Turtle tonga line-

Sirius, Remus, Severus, Draco and Blaise all closed their eyes as they inhaled the slightly spicy scent coming from Remus' rooms.

"Smells like Hermione is cooking today," Sirius said after making sure he wasn't drooling.

Remus nodded his agreement. "I don't know whether that is a good thing or a bad thing."

"Why? Is Miss Granger not a good cook?" Severus asked.

"No, quite the opposite, in fact," Remus hastened to reassure his guests. "It's just … Harry normally only allows Hermione in any kitchen he views as his without his presence if he is sick, inured, depressed or she spends several hours begging him to allow her free reign."

"Then instead of staying out here wondering, why don't we go in?" a female voice asked. Everyone in the group tensed and spun around, only to relax when they saw who it was. "One of Harry's humdingers invited me to lunch. I also have a request for Lord Malfoy from Daddy. I thought since he was here anyway, I could ask him his thoughts before daddy makes another mistake like the plimpy soup disaster." She shook her head mournfully. "He still hasn't accepted that wizards cannot eat food of the Seelie or Unseelie court."

While everyone else stood blinking at the odd girl, Remus turned to the door and opened it. Lucius' laughter was the first sound that hit their ears, followed closely by Hermione's. Intrigued, the odd group crept into the dining room doorway and laughed. Lucius was in the process of shredding paper, only to use it to entice a surprisingly active kitten into pouncing, clawing and chewing on it, making the paper even harder to use it in an attempt at blackmail.

Luna was the first to notice something different about Harry-the-kitten and before anyone could protest, she reached out and pulled him to her chest, scratching his head with a finger. "You should change back Harry," she stated. "The Humdinger's would like their nest back before the nargal's discover them."

In reply, Harry just cuddled into her before delicately biting her nose, making her giggle and put him on the ground. Once he was a fair distance from anyone Harry transformed back into his human form where he stretched leisurely before circling around Draco, rubbing himself on the older teen.

Lucius, Severus, Sirius and Blaise laughed at the dazed look on Draco's face. Remus smirked slightly when he was the next to receive the same greeting, making Draco growl possessively one moment then grin goofily the next at the thought of being the first to receive said treatment.

"You spent all morning in your animal form, didn't you?" Remus asked, amused.

Harry nodded happily as he greeted Sirius, Severus and Blaise in the same fashion. Everyone looked surprised when Harry turned and included Luna in his greeting.

"Um … what are you doing Kitten?" Sirius asked as he happily settled into the seat beside Lucius.

"Now you smell like family," Harry stated, bouncing in his seat. "Family is good. Family is safe."

"Family is forever," Hermione finished with a small smile, getting an answering grin from Harry.

"You do realise that the reason Lucius is here is so you get used to him and get to know him properly don't you?" Sirus teased gently. "Not to kitty-sit."

Everyone laughed when Sirius failed to duck the plate that Lucius swung at him playfully.

"For your information, I thoroughly enjoyed my time here this morning and I think I passed muster considering he is seated beside me, poking at my ribcage at this very moment." Harry giggled and poked him higher up on his ribcage, making the Malfoy Lord twitch as he struggled not to give into the demand of the ticklish sensation. "If I'm completely honest, Harry has only really been awake for just over an hour. Even though he woke when Miss Granger did, he decided that he would rather curl up on my lap or my paperwork for a few hours."

"And I found out a lot of things about him," Harry said determinedly. "I found out he has a strong sense of family, he is a cat person, he has an odd sense of humour …"

"Hey!" Lucius pouted, making Harry giggle.

"And he's a real charmer," Harry continued. He sent Draco a slightly heated, yet innocent flirtatious look. "It's no wonder I didn't stand a chance when Draco turned on the charm: He definitely takes after his father."

Draco cleared his throat nervously and fidgeted slightly, very happy that he was wearing loose robes. He sneered at the knowing looks on Remus', Blaise's, Hermione's and his Father's faces, cursing their heightened senses.

"Anyway," Harry continued, "just wait until you try what 'Mione has made for lunch. It's yummies."

"What is it Kitten?" Draco asked with a smile as he moved to place a kiss on his mate's head.

"Spicy chicken salad," Harry announced happily, only to pout when Luna was the only one to react the way he wanted everyone to.

Hermione laughed at his face when this happened. "They don't know what it is, Hun," she giggled. "It's an Asian-styled salad with a chicken breast that was marinated in a mix of Thai Red Curry paste and coconut cream before being crumbed and roasted. It is then set aside to rest before getting sliced and arranged on top of the salad."

"That sounds absolutely delightful!" Blaise said with a smile.

"That's good," Hermione responded with a sweet smile, "Because that is what you will be getting regardless."

Blaise blinked in shock as everyone laughed at him.

-and the rhino's rumba in a tonga line-

Lunch was filled with lots of laughter, gentle teasing and – in the case of the two couples and the absence of Tom – mild flirting. It wasn't until lunch was almost over that everyone realised what a bad idea it was to have Lucius and Harry in the same room when Lucius mentioned Blood Magic and the Ministry's outlook on it.

"The Minister is an idiot," Harry stated, making everyone stop what they were doing and look at him. "The normal, everyday average wizard can't even USE blood magic."

"What do you mean?" Lucius asked, honestly curious. "The Malfoy family have always been able to do blood magic."

"I have as well," Sirus admitted. "The rest of my family can't, but I can."

"I mean what I say," Harry stated. "Only very strong wizards can use blood magic and even then it will only work more than eight per cent of the time if the wizard has a close connection to a daemon of some kind. The Malfoy's have always been able to use blood magic because of one reason – their vampiric heritage." Harry shrugged. "Rinie, Tom and I can do blood magic, as can Remy if he chose to. Siri however … Siri is a special case as it could be one of several things. It could be due to the depth and strength of his connection to Remus and my Father, or it could be because he was adopted into my family unofficially or it could be due to his animagus form being that of a Grimm, considering that Grimms are the favoured pets of some of the more … deadly demons."

"Really?" Sirius asked, leaning forwards with interest.

"Yes," Hermione replied, blinking at the unnatural Sirius-like behaviour the man was exhibiting. "Most people associate Grimms with death – but that is incorrect. A Grimm without a demon master haunts the areas in and around graveyards, deserted buildings or lonely tracks in the wilderness. It is their duty to protect the innocent from harm. Muggles call them black dogs or demon hounds because of this. There are stories that are still coming out today about a lady or man seeing a large black dog and then vanishing only to be found lifeless a couple of days later. More frequently, however, are reports of women, children and to a lesser degree, men, seeing a large black dog when they felt unsafe or insecure. They say that the dog followed, guided or romped around them as they made their way back to a place they were safe in before vanishing into thin air before their eyes."

"Oft times," Harry continued, cutting in seamlessly when Hermione paused for a drink, "It is discovered some time later that the time the dog revealed itself to the person, there was some form of danger in the area."

"What type of danger?" Remus enquired.

"One lady was maybe thirty feet away from the hiding place of a well-known murderer who had escaped from prison. Another young lady passed by a supposedly abandoned building only an hour before it was discovered to house a band of sexual predators. The most recently reported was by an eight year old girl and her five year old brother. They had been separated from their mother by accident and a large dog showed up and led them to her. When questioned, the daughter told the authorities where they were. It wasn't until then that more than the older or more superstitious of the force believed her because the children had been right on the doorstep of a building that was under suspicion of being a child abduction ring."

"Mastered Grimms only reveal themselves to the humans whom their master wishes to consume," Hermione said with a smile as Harry went back to eating. "That is why those who suffer death-by-Grimm have been found with various markings or missing pieces."

"For instance," Harry continued, giggling softly at the groans of disappointment that came from Sirius, Remus, Severus, Draco and Blaise as a warning for the beginning of class sounded.

"You'd better put this into a pensieve for us kit," Sirius warned.

"Yeah, anything that actually holds Sirus' attention for this long is gold," Remus teased.

"If you like," Harry began shyly, "When you cover Grimms in class, I could come and talk about it."

Everyone stopped and stared at the madly blushing submissive in shock, making him giggle slightly in nervousness "If you don't leave now, then you'll be late."

Five yelps sounded, making the remaining four laugh.

"Aren't you going as well Luna?" Hermione asked.

"I have a study break for these two lessons because I have astronomy tonight. I hope you don't mind me staying here instead of leaving."

"We don't mind," Harry assured the girl before turning back to Lucius, making both girls giggle softly. "For instance," Harry repeated, "Those who have claw-marks on their shoulders were fed on by demons that devour souls. Those who looked like they had been mauled were the prey of demons who obtain sustenance through blood or flesh."

"Fascinating," Lucius stated, eyes gleaming at the new knowledge. "I can see us getting along simply marvellously."

Harry grinned widely at his soon-to-be Father-in-law before seating himself beside Luna and holding a soft conversation with her. Within moments however, the four of them had stated another deep discussion – this time about, of all things, the use of cutlery while eating certain foods. This conversation took them through to when Luna had to leave and the rest of their family returned.

Everyone could tell that Lucius wasn't the only person who was disappointed when he announced he had to leave for the day. Harry and Hermione said their farewells before disappearing into the kitchen. Lucius hugged his son and left chuckling over their last discussion.


	16. Chapter 15 - Out Shopping a Malfoy

Sorry it's so short. I hope it won't be too long before I can update again

* * *

Chapter 15 – Out shopping a Malfoy

The following morning's greeting astounded Lucius as the second he stepped into the room he had received a huge rib-crushing hug from Harry.

"Hello Little One," he smiled, unknowingly using Severus' pet name. "How are you today?"

"Very good thank you Sir," was his reply. "Severus needs some potions ingredients but is too busy to get them himself – can you come shopping with us?"

"I would be delighted," Lucius said with a smile. "I will go and ask the Headmaster for permission for Draco to come with us."

Harry's face lit up at the thought of spending the day with Draco. "I think I would like that Sir," he said with a large smile. "Rinie isn't going to be coming with us. She's staying here with Blaise since he is going to be coming with me tomorrow when I go see Lady Zabini."

"Did you wish for me not to come tomorrow?" Lucius asked.

"Please come," Harry said, slightly panicking. "I'm only going to be one for three hours maximum and I'm sure that Draco would love to have your company."

Lucius chuckled softly and ran his hand through Harry's hair. "I was only checking, Harry. I don't want to come here if I'm only going to annoy you when you are busy. Now, you go back inside and I will be right back."

Harry nodded happily and went back to the group. Forty minutes late found Lucius and Draco walking down the path towards Hogsmeade with Harry bouncing along a short distance ahead of them.

"Do you think he will be able to handle a shopping trip with us?" Lucius asked his son. "You know how your Mother is after a day shopping with the two of us."

Draco shrugged. "To be honest I have no idea. I asked Hermione how she thought he'd go and all she did was giggle at me."

"Well, we will see after today, won't we?" Lucius asked.

"Hi Mr McG!" the two vampires heard Harry call and both of them looked up in time to see Harry throw his arms around a mildly shocked man.

After a moment the man let out a deep, chest rumbling laugh and hugged the small teen back. "Hello there, Harry-mi-lad! No Hermione today?"

"No Sir," Harry chirped back. "I'm going shopping with Draco and Mr Malfoy."

"Are you really?" Duncan smiled. "Well then, why don't you introduce me to the two fine lad's coming up behind you 'fore we head our separate ways?"

Harry beamed at the man and dragged him over to where Lucius and Draco stood, watching with amused smirks on their faces.

"Draco! Mr Malfoy! This is Mr McG. He has a sister who works here and comes to have tea with her every now and then."

Duncan laughed and held out a hand to Lucius. "The names Duncan. I'm Minerva's brother."

Lucius shook the other man's hand firmly. "And how did you become acquainted with our resident demon siblings?"

Harry blushed as Duncan recounted his first meeting with Harry and Hermione as well as the resultant morning they had spent together as they made their way towards Hogwarts.

"It was lovely to meet you, Mr McGonagall," Lucius smiled once Duncan had finished his tale. "Maybe one day in the future we could have you over for lunch."

"I'll cook!" Harry called out happily, making the three older males laugh.

With one last farewell, the small group separated with the promise of an owl later in the week. Once the three younger men reached the gates, Lucius put a hand in the middle of each boy's back and guided them into Hogsmeade to begin what would hopefully be a fun day full of what Malfoy men did the best – SHOPPING.

-Pretend I'm a pole dancing line-

Shopping with Harry was not an experience for the faint of heart, Lucius decided. It had been three hours since they had left Hogwarts and they had yet to leave Hogsmeade. It wasn't that Harry was difficult or slowing them down – it was that he entered every store and looked at everything before questioning the staff on the items until more than one staff member broke down into tears of relief with they had left.

Lucius chuckled as he looked up at where Harry and Draco were seated while he ordered something to snack on before the three of them left for Dagon Alley. Hopefully that trip wouldn't be as intense as this one.

-\|/- line dancing -/|\\-

It was worse, Lucius decided as he watched as his son tried to calm his hissing and pacing mate after the owner of the only apothecary in Diagon Alley refused to serve him, even after he had proved he was legally allowed to purchase those items that were kept under lock and key behind the counter. Without warning, Harry stopped and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Do you mind if we go somewhere after this?" he asked. "I need some ingredients as well as Severus and since that … person … in that poor excuse of a shop will not serve me, I'll just have to go to my usual provider."

"We don't mind. Let's continue our shopping and then we'll go to your provider," Lucius agreed, "But first, how about Lunch? He shook his head at the disappointed whine that came from the now happy demon as he lead the two youngsters to the nearest eating place.

-Work work all week long-

It was half an hour after the evening meal had finished when Harry shadowed into the room holding the rest of their rag-tag family with one hand on Lucius and the other on Draco. Both blondes looked as though they had survived walking through a hurricane after participating in a tri-Athlon.

"Did you have fun?" Hermione asked Harry with a smile

"It was so much fun! We'll have to do it again soon!" Harry exclaimed happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"So, did you manage to keep up with the two of you?" Hermione teased as the two blondes fought to remain standing upright.

"I'm going home for a long bath and then bed," Lucius yawned, much to Severus' delight.

"Starting to feel your age, are you Lucius?" Severus jabbed.

"Sev, I'm sore!" Lucius whined. "Now I know how you feel when I drag our around the Alley."

"Oh yeah, Professor?" Harry cut in, wringing his fingers together. "I sorta, kinda cancelled your account with the Diagon Alley Apothecary."

Everyone froze in shock.

"You did what?" Severus asked, too shocked to show his infamous temper.

"I didn't mean to," Harry stated in a pleading tone of voice. "The idiot behind the counter wouldn't serve me even after I showed him the note you wrote and my own certification, so I kinda … "Harry muttered something and turned away, cheeks burning.

"What did you do?" Severus asked, trying his hardest not to laugh at the suddenly shy teen.

Harry muttered something again, making Draco and Lucius chuckle as they both downed a pepper up potion that Remus had handed to them.

"I didn't quite catch that Young One."

"I may have, possibly sorta cursed the shop in parseltongue before vowing that no one in my family will ever do business with them again," Harry said, just above t a whisper.

You could hear a pin drop in the room at the absolute silence that overcame every person in the room.

"You didn't," Hermione breathed, eyes wind in shock. "Sweetie, tell me you didn't put a demon curse on the."

"I can't tell you I didn't, Rinie," he said, turning away from her with tears in his eyes, "Because I damn well did. And I would do it again with no hesitation Hermione, so don't try to tell me that what I did was wrong."

"They are lucky that all they got was a curse, Miss Granger," Lucius stated seriously. "If Draco had heard what caused Harry to curse the business, then they wouldn't be alive."

"What was the curse?"" Sirus asked.

"What was said?" Remus asked at the same time.

"Demon and those close to demon will find the shop distasteful and refuse to do business with them or anyone associated with it," Harry answered Sirus. "As for what was said," harry moved so Draco was seated and he was sitting on his lap. "One of the men behind the counter said that it was a pity I was with the Malfoy's as if I wasn't I'd be a good fuck toy and any resultant young would be perfect for potions ingredients."

A deep growl came from Remus and Sirus while everyone else went deathly pale at the words. Draco buried his face into Harry's neck, gripping him tightly so he couldn't disappear on him.

"Then thank you for saving me the shame of being a customer of theirs," Severus stated. "I was only a customer of theirs because they gave me a discount due to being a Professor attached to Hogwarts and a potions master." He sighed, "Now I just have to find someone else to gain my ingredients from."

"You don't need to," Harry stated shyly from Draco's lap. "I added you onto my account with my source and provider. I have a few things for you … but I need to find them. I remember putting them into a plastic bag ..."

Muttering to himself, he started pulling shrunken bag after shrunken bag out of his pockets before doing the same to Draco – who looked like he couldn't decide whether to moan in embarrassment or arousal, so he just grit his teeth and scrunched his eyes tight and listed all the ingredients and steps needed to make both wolfsbane and polyjuice potion in an attempt to focus on something – anything – else.

Severus gaped as more and more bags were enlarged and set aside until a soft exclamation of happiness came out of Harry's mouth. "Okay, this bag holds all the plant-based ingredients, this one holds all the animal-based ingredients and this one hold the mineral-based ingredients," Harry rattled off as he handed three large bags over to the stunned man. He gulped when a fourth bag appeared. "This one has all the paperwork for you to fill out should you decide to make you own account. There are also copies of every certification of every staff member, every result from each investigation that has been made, the way to contact them, details of the staff – as in what position they hold, how long they've worked for the business etcetera. Finally there is also a copy of each of their catalogues and a supply of order forms."

"Thank you," Severus blinked. "I'd better go and deal with these then look through all of this stuff. I will see you tomorrow."

"I would go through the paperwork first," Hermione said with a smile. "The bags and the storage containers are charmed with so many preservation charms that the ingredients in them will still be fresh in a thousand years or more."

"If you need or would like help in preparing the ingredients, you know where we are," Harry said with a sweet smile. Severus nodded and left the room in an absent-minded daze.

"I'd better follow him to make sure he gets back to his room," Lucius chuckled. "And I best be heading home as well. I shall see everyone tomorrow."

Over the next half an hour, Draco and Blaise said their farewells and left for their dormitory, leaving Harry to sort through his eighty-odd bags.


	17. Chapter 16 - The Best Laid Plans

Chapter 16 – The Best Laid Plans

Harry pouted when he looked at the clock.

"Are you alright Sweetie?" Hermione asked, running a hand through his hair.

"I have to go now and Draco isn't here so I can't say bye," he pouted deeper, making Hermione laugh softly.

"That just means you get to deal with him when you get back doesn't it?" she announced, mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

Harry looked at his sister and smirked in answer. It was time for a little of his daemon to appear. With a nod he vanished.

Hermione turned and came face-to-face with Remus, Sirius, Severus, Lucius and Draco. She allowed an evil smile to form on her lips that forced Remus and Sirius to back up as they paled.

"Someone's in trouble," she announced in a sing-song voice, her smile widening into a grin.

"Who?" Remus gulped.

"Someone who wasn't here in time to say bye to his mate," she continued in the same voice, making Draco pale and Sirius and Remus to gain a little colour.

Sirius put his hands on Draco's shoulders and looked at him seriously. "I suggest that you don't run – it makes it so much worse. Answer everything honestly and do everything he tells you to do. Nothing will be more important than getting his forgiveness."

"I don't understand," Draco stuttered softly. "I thought I had lots of time to get here."

"Well you didn't," Hermione giggled, "now you have to pay the consequences."

Lucius frowned as Hermione danced out of the room and Draco's face lit up in recognition before running from the room.

Remus startled everyone by laughing hard enough to grab his ribs. "I – I feel sorry for Draco and Blaise," he wheezed.

"Why?" Severus asked his eyes narrowed.

Sirius grinned suddenly. "Oh I'm such and idiot! It all fits!" he burst into laughter.

"What is going on?" Lucius growled.

Remus held up a hand in the world wide gesture of waiting as he attempted to calm himself.

"What happened this last week?" he asked once he calmed down to the odd chuckle.

"A lot more than other weeks," Severus sneered. "But to answer your real question," he continued under Remus' glare, "we met Harry and Miss Granger, discovered they are mated to Draco and Blaise, met Tom, saved Willa's twins, signed bonding contr …" his eyes widened and he spun around to face Remus and Sirius so fast his robes snapped much like a whip. "No," he whispered, eyes wide.

"It's the only thing that fits, including Tom leaving when and how he did," Remus replied.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Lucius roared.

"The bonding contracts between Harry and Draco and Hermione and Blaise were signed on Wednesday. They would have been acknowledged on Thursday sometime and Tom left on Friday, severing his bond to them," Sirius stated. "Think about it Lucius! You aren't normally this slow!"

Lucius blinked a few times before it hit him and he burst into laughter. "They are testing them, aren't they?"

Remus grinned and winked at the man, "And Draco has until Harry's birthday to put up with it. Blaise has a few weeks of a few months to go through it as his and Mione's instincts will be appeased in that time. Harry's instincts however …" he shook his head slowly. "Harry's instincts will not stop until he is claimed."

Lucius shook his head in amusement. "And knowing my son, he is probably looking forward to it. I think that I will go and find him to keep myself amused until Harry returns." Ignoring the chuckles behind him, Lucius set out in search of his son – who knew when the next time he would be able to see his heir like this again?

-Ivegotalovelybunchofcoconuts-

Harry only just managed to brace himself before two small projectiles hit him with a thud. He smiled down at the two girls who had attached themselves to him.

"Will you be able to show us the babies again?" Carla asked excitedly.

"That depends," Harry said, kneeling down so he was closer to their heights. "Have you two been good girls since I last saw you?"

"I'ph been good," Layne injected with large, earnest eyes. "Cawa too. Mama'th been bad dough."

Harry widened his eyes, catching sight of Blaise, Nicholas and Willa out the corner of his eye. "Really?" he asked with mock-shock that made Carla giggle and Layne to nod seriously.

"Yeth. The didn't eat all her dinner tho the had to go to bed early."

"That is bad," Harry managed to say seriously. "How about I look at your Mama now and before I go I look at you, Carla and your papa?"

"But I'm not thick," Layne said, wrinkling her nose in confusion.

"No, you're not sick," Harry agreed, tweaking her nose playfully, "but I need to make sure your papa is okay because he is helping your mama so much that if he gets sick, then so will your mama and the babies."

"But why doth that mean I need to haph a Healer appointment?"

Harry smiled slightly and leant forward, causing the two girls to copy him.

"It's because your papa is scared of his appointment," he whispered to the girls as though he was telling them a secret. "If your Papa sees his two girls sit through the appointment with no trouble, then it might just make him see how silly he is for being scared. Remember, shh! We don't want to make your Papa embarrassed about it okay?"

The two girls nodded seriously then pulled Harry to his feet and over to where the rest of their family was. Harry grinned to himself when Layne say on her Father's lap and Carla sat close to him, making sure that the man remained where he was. Closing his eyes, Harry cleared his mind of all thoughts and placed his hands on lady Zabini's forehead and stomach, pushing his magic into her, muttering words and numbers out loud that Blaise quickly wrote down, even if they made no sense to him.

Harry removed his hands with a smile and opened his eyes. "Both little ones are recovering nicely, as is their mama. I want you to continue on all the potions until next time I see you, which will be on Wednesday. I also want you to eat smaller meals over the day. Have as much as you can handle in the morning but stop when you feel comfortable. Have a piece of fruit or vegetable sticks between breakfast and lunch. Have lunch and have something between lunch and dinner then have dinner and supper before going to bed."

Willa nodded her agreement with a sigh of relief.

"And here are your sons," Harry said with a soft smile, projecting an image of the two boy above their Mama's stomach. "From what I can gather, they will be born mid to late November. Things are starting to get rather cosy in there for them now"

He looked at the five Zabini family members and gave an honest smile. Willa was watching the two unborn babes with tears of love glittering in her eyes, her hand tightly gripping one of Nicholas'.

Nicholas was gazing at his wife with love, devotion and pride, barely glancing at the image floating above her. When he did look up at it, his chest visibly swelled and he straightened in his seat, proud of himself and his growing family. Blaise gazed at the unborn twins with a fierce protectiveness that took Harry's breath away.

"This is the man Rinie will spend her life with," he thought to himself. "He is protection. He is safety. He is family." He was unsurprised when the almost golden eyes of his sister's mate locked onto his own and their owner bowed his head slightly in acceptance of the wordless acceptance bestowed on him.

With a small smile at the older teen, Harry turned to look at the two girls and only just managed to contain the urge to coo at the two of them. Both girls were watching the image with eyes full of wonder. He stopped the image with a small pang of disappointment, smiling softly when a few whimpers of protest came from the small family.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I will put it up again next week. I'd like to check everyone else over before Blaise and I have to go."

"I understand," Willa smiled sweetly. "You have people to get home to, not just us."

"And a few reports to write as well," Harry laughed. "Not to mention making up a folder for everyone as Healer, now," he turned to the three seated on the lounge, "who wants to go first?"

"Me!" Layne shouted, jumping off Nicholas' lap and bouncing over to Harry. "Me pwease."

Harry laughed softly and sat her down beside her Mother. He shot Blaise a thankful look when he saw the older teen seated with a quill at the ready. Harry closed his eyes and put a few fingers on each of Layne's temples before calling out words, numbers, signs and colours. When he was finished, he smiled down at the girl and pat her head softly.

"You are in very good health, my Dear," he smiled. "Your adult teeth are forming really well and your bones are very strong." He looked up and caught Nicholas' eye and spoke directly to him. "Cut down on the amount of fruit she is eating and add more protein to her diet. Adding nuts of some kind to her morning and afternoon snack will do the trick. I'll send you a copy of some ideas if you'd like."

Nicholas smiled thankfully at him for the suggestion as Layne grinned and slid down from her seat and ran back to sit on her father's lap, only for a grinning Carla to appear in it.

"My turn!"

Harry smiled and began the entire process again.

"You have good strong muscles," he told the happy eight year old, "but your bones are a little bit weaker then what they should be. I'll give your papa some recipes to try with you as well, how does that sound.

Carla nodded her agreement. "Why did you put your hand on Mama's belly but not me or Layne?"

"Layne or I," Blaise, Harry, Willa and Nicholas corrected her, making everyone laugh.

"Layne or I," she parroted cutely.

"I put my hand on your mama's belly because it is the closest I can get to touching the babies. It's easier for my magic to check people I'm touching," Harry explained.

"Okay, thank you. Blaise's turn!"

Blaise laughed. "No, not Blaise's turn, munchkin. I got my turn done this morning before I came here. I'll say that it's Papa's turn."

"Yeah! Pap'th tuwn! Layne sang out before putting a hand on each of his cheeks. "Don't wowwy Papa, it dothn't huwt."

Nicholas nodded his head seriously, hiding his confusion masterfully. "Okay, I won't be. How about you go sit with Mama and Carla so I get my turn over with."

Layne nodded and stood up. "No wunning away."

Nicholas, Blaise and Willa looked at the girls in confusion while Harry just giggled to himself as he prepared to check his final patient. Once he got Blaise's attention, he dove right into this work, ignoring everything around him. He was frowning when he pulled his magic back.

"You need to start taking better care of yourself," he scolded the older man gently. "You have a wonderful family you need to take care of. I'll write up what I've found so you all understand what is going on with each other and I'll write up what everyone needs to eat more of so potions won't be needed in the near future."

Nicholas nodded his agreement as Blaise hugged the girls' goodbye and helped his mother sit up. "I'll expect an owl from you in a day or two."

"Owl?" Harry asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

"I'll explain it to you later Harry," Blaise cut in with a smile.

"Okay," the young cat daemon chirruped happily, bouncing over to give both girls a hug and a gentle hand running through their hair with a wistful, longing look. He was shocked to find himself in a hug instigate by the Zabini family Matriarch.

"I know it's hard on you my dear," she whispered. "Your time will come, I promise. I can tell just by watching you with my girls that any children you and Draco have in your future will be the luckiest children in the world to have you as their Mama."

"I agree," Nicholas added, wrapping his arms around the two of them, steering them into the foyer. "Neither of our girls have ever behaved like that during a check-up before. How did you do it?"

Harry giggled softly, noticing Blaise listening carefully to them, neither girl in sight. "I told them that you needed a check-up and were a little bit scared but if you were to watch how brave your two girls were during their appointments, and then you wouldn't be so scared." He joined into Willa Zabini's laughter at the look of shock on both Nicholas' and Blaise's faces.

"Yes, young one, your future children will be lucky indeed. I also hope you will take something into consideration over the next few days for me," she said when she had completely calmed down.

Harry tilted his head in curiosity.

"I want you to be the one to deliver the twins. Normally it would be an elven healer who does it, but Nick and I trust you more than any of the elven healers we have met."

"What does the position entail?" Harry asked in all seriousness.

"Generally nothing," Nicholas answered. "The problem is that Willa's elven family will try to discourage you from doing so using all the dirty low-down tricks at their disposal. They will not go so far as to harm you as you are a submissive creature who is being courted and who's dominant can and will take every ill-wished thought out of their hides: but they will try to drag your name through the mud. They will try to turn you into a scandal and they will try to get your Healer's certificate removed for malpractice of because of your youth."

"We are also naming you and Draco godparents," Willa explained. "That will make them even more annoyed since being a godparent is an important delegation to elves, and it is almost never given to someone who is not family."

"Thank you for telling me and I accept," Harry answered. "Rinie belongs here with Blaise. This is her new family and family is important to us. Your magic and mine have already accepted us as family and nothing will change that. Not Rinie marrying Blaise, not the birth of the twins and most assuredly not a few jealous elves."

"If you are sure," Willa stated, worry still evident on her face.

Harry smirked at the woman making the three elves gape at him as he reminded them that even though he was a submissive, he was still a daemon.

"Envy is often called a green-eyed monster," he stated with a mischievous glow to his eyes. "Let's see what happens when elves possessed by the green-eyed monster meet a green-eyed daemon with connections to the Marauders, a fox daemon and a cat's natural ability to find trouble."

With a grin that Willa couldn't help but return, he grabbed Blaise's arm and shadowed away.

Willa rested against Nicholas, feeling giddy. "Is it wrong of me to hope that they family does try something against him?"

"If they do, then they deserve everything that comes their way," Nicholas stated firmly. "No matter what, we will stand by that young man because as he said - family is the most important thing. They threw you out of the Clan due to what that light elf did, so they are not family."

"I agree Nick, now, how about you get me to bed before you need to roll me up the stairs."

"Ma'am yes Ma'am!" Nick saluted playfully before swooping in and picking her up bridal style and carrying her to their room

-inolongerhavecoconutstheyranaway-

Everyone in the room looked up when the shadows in the room darkened and seemed to solidify until the two missing teens stood before them. Blaise walked briskly to Hermione and bowed over her hand. "My Lady," he purred.

"My Lord," she replied with a curtsy, blushing prettily, making Harry giggled even as his body language screamed with disappointment when his own mate was nowhere in sight.

"Why don't you go put that stuff upstairs in your room Kitten," Remus suggested with a sad smile. "Lunch is almost ready. You can do whatever you need to do with it after you have eaten."

Harry nodded and trudged up the stairs, not noticing the slight twinkle in Remus' eye. He frowned slightly when he got to the room. Something felt off about the room. Cautiously, he opened the door and gaped in shock at what was inside. A petition had been erected in the middle of the room, separating his belongings from Hermione's. The room was now done in monochrome with everything in white, black or differing shades of grey. Looking up, he was greeted with the over-cast sky of that day with fake rain falling for two meters below the ceiling.

His jaw dropped as he caught sight of his bed. Where before stood a single four-poster bed with hideously coloured hangings that made him think of the sun throwing up, was now home to a vaguely familiar sight. It wasn't until he got closer that he realised why it tugged at his memory. Standing before him was a physical representation of the nest-like bed that Arthur and Will Denison were first exposed to at the Egg Hatchery in Dinotopia.

The circular structure and the large semi-conical foot were solidly built of bronze. Another step forward bought him within touching distance and Harry discovered just how heavenly soft the top felt. Without hesitation, he climbed onto the bed, purring at the firm inner structure while the soft outer structure attempted to pull him deeper into them.

"I'm sorry to say that none of this is permanent," Draco softly stated, looking lovingly down at his mate. "Everything is transfigured so it won't last long, but it was the best I could do at such short notice. I took my memories and photos to a crafts hall with the hope that they would know of someone who could craft it for me. They found someone, but they said it would take a long time to get it perfect."

Harry just looked at Draco in silence, no longer disappointed with his mate's inattention to him that day but also unwilling to let him know that fact.

Draco looked away and around the room that was slowly fading to its original design as his spell work wore off. "It is my hope to have found a property to build a house of our own design on in time for our bonding. I want it to be our place – a place just you, me and our younglings can go to and feel safe." He cleared his throat uncomfortably and looked his surprised mate in the eye, ignoring how sensual the younger male looked as he half-knelt, half sat on the now regular-issue bed. "Father and I started looking this morning and it would be a delight if you would consent to allowing me to escort you to the properties that Father and I deemed acceptable after the midday meal. Remus and Severus have agreed to come as chaperones, just in case Father is called away or has to leave for any reason."

Harry looked around the now familiar twin-share room, noting with disappointment that everything he had loved about the area was no longer evident. A slight movement caught out the corner of his eye had Harry whipping around and staring in shock.

"Draco," he asked incredulously, "what happened to my hangings?"

The blonde vampire smiled as he looked at what had caught his mate's attention. "I entered this room for the first time this morning after you had left for the Zabini residence and the first thing that caught my eye was the eyesore disguised as bed hangings. After determining that it was your bed and not Hermione's, I decided to buy a new curtain that was more suited to your tastes.

Harry gave the charcoal grey velvet fabric another soft stroke before looking at Draco with clear, bright eyes. "It would be my pleasure to allow you to escort me to a possible housing site."

Draco smiled and held out his hand to help his mate from the bed. Once Harry was standing before him, Draco raised the hand in his to his lips and placed a gentle open-mouthed kiss to the back of it before tucking it into the crook of his arm.

It wasn't until the two of them were almost at the door that Harry realised that they weren't alone. Hermione and Blaise stood just inside the doorway and Lucius filled the entranceway. With a reassuring look at Draco, Harry removed his hand from its place on his mate's arm and took a tentative step towards Lucius. Taking a deep breath, he surprised everyone by dropping into an elegant curtsey that had Draco's mind producing X-rated images of his mate before his mind blanked out with a near silent 'GAH!'

"I apologise for this interruption, Lord Malfoy," he said softly, yet clearly. "It wasn't not my intention for this to occur today - I was hoping that business could have waited until I was settled, but it seems that it isn't just the wicked that get no rest."

"Lucius, please Harry. You are family so calling me by one of my titles is pointless and I understand completely about business getting in the way of plans. If I am to be completely honest, I am a little disappointed about not spending time with you this morning since I will be returning to my usual schedule tomorrow until Narcissa is allowed to come with me, and even then it will only be for meals. I am, however, so very proud of you for what you have managed to do for Willa and Nicholas. The Zabini family are close friends of the Malfoy family and have been for a very long time. Hearing about how diligent you have been with Willa's care in this stressful time cancels out any disappointment, jealousy or annoyance I might have felt at loosing time with you."

Harry flushed lightly at the praise and turned back to Draco as he straightened from the curtsey. It wasn't until he was close enough to see himself reflected in the silver eyes of the young vampire that he noticed something was wrong. Frowning slightly, he allowed a sliver of his magic to check over his mate. When the result came back clear, he gently shook the blonde as he called his name. After getting no response, Harry turned around until his eyes locked with the worried eyes of his soon to be Father-In-Law.

"I think I broke Draco," he whimpered.


	18. Chapter 17 - Aren't you a bit young for

Chapter 17 – Aren't you a bit young for this?

Within half a minute of hearing about his godson's predicament, Severus was before him waving a vial of mixed rosemary, sage and basil oils under the teen's extremely sensitive nose. Everyone watched with amusement as the young vampire's nostrils flared moments before he coughed and spluttered into awareness.

"Gods that's nasty Sev," Draco gasped, glaring at the man through tear-filled eyes.

"That is the point of it Draco," Severus responded, ignoring the giggling coming from behind him. "Now, are you going to share what put you into a state that gave me reason to use this combination?"

Everyone gaped in shock as Draco's eyes flicked to Harry before he turned a glowing red.

"Not in particular," he mumbled, blushing brighter as the images flashed before his mind's eye once more, not registering the noticeable flinches of his Father and Severus.

Taking matters into his own hands, Lucius stepped around Harry and gently smacked his son's cheek with the palm of his hand.

"May I ask what that was for Father?"

"You were projecting loud enough to get through both my and Severus' shields," Lucius told his son calmly and as softly as he could to prevent his son from further embarrassment. "As much as we love the fact you have found your mate, neither of us wants to ever see him like that … EVER."

Draco looked up into his father's face, mortification written all over his own.

"I recommend meditating when you wake up and before going to bed," Lucius continued with a soft smile and placing his hand gently on the cheek he had slapped in order to stop his son's rather imaginative – and disturbing – thoughts.

"As well as spending an hour after the evening meal to work on your Occulmancy," a more-than-slightly embarrassed Severus growled softly. "Those thoughts of yours have to remain as thoughts for another ten months remember, and I would appreciate them being PRIVATE thoughts."

Draco moaned softly and hid his face in his hands as Remus, Sirius and Blaise caught onto where his thought had been and were currently in various states of hysteria at his expense with Hermione watching them worriedly and Harry ignoring them in favour of watching Draco.

"Are you okay Draco?" a sinfully soft voice full of concern asked.

Draco looked up into wide green eyes full of worry for him and small sharp teeth worrying at a bottom lip almost absent-mindedly as their owner focused on the older, more dominant teen. Without warning, Draco pounced, pushing Harry against the closest bed-post and lowering his lips to his mate's abused ones in an act of pure dominance.

Harry squeaked softly then mewled into the possessive kiss as his mate's hand found its way to the back of his head and clenched a handful of hair in a tight grip. As though they had a mind of their own, Harry's hands griped Draco's waist tightly before they slowly slid up the blonde's stomach, caressing the firm, well defined chest until they came to rest on the blonde's shoulders.

Draco growled possessively as more submissive mewls fell from his mate's lips. He growled in appreciation as his kitten bared his throat without needing provocation when his bruised, swollen lips were released. Losing no time, he latched onto the unmarked offering, half-hissing, half-growling out the words of an ancient instinct driven ritual buried within the minds of all dominant creatures. As the last worlds were completed, Draco bit down as hard as he could on the tempting treat before him, unknowingly sealing the ritual in a way that could never be ignored, hidden or forgotten.

Silence filled the room as everyone present watched the two. Eventually, the silence was broken by Lucius.

"It's going to be a loooooooong ten months," he sighed.

~ Wishmeluckfirsttimetryingtomakedridfruitinadehydrator~

After forty five minutes of attempting to separate the snogging couple, Hermione succeeded in separating them by dousing the two with ice cold water. She watched with dispassionate eyes as both boys hissed at her.

"Don't you have an appointment to keep?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "You only have the afternoon free since it is your final year."

"My apologies Miss Granger," Draco said as calmly as he could while he dried both Harry and himself off with a wave of his hand. "I do not know what got into me for me to behave in such a deplorable way."

"I think you will find that hormones are the cause," Severus stated dryly. "Combine that with your imagination and the scent of your mate and you have enough trouble to outdo the damage that the Mutt can do."

"Well, I am a Demon Sir," Harry stated from his bed, still managing to pull off the innocent look even though he had been completely ravished not too long before, "it's only natural that trouble follows me around."

"More like you cause it Imp," Remus stated, amused.

"Better me then Sirius," was the serious reply.

Remus nodded after a slight pause. "That is true. The trouble around you is normally due to you being too cute for your own good. The trouble around Sirius is normally due to …" he trailed off into thought. "How to best put it?" he mused.

"Because of his foot-in-mouth disease," Hermione stated firmly.

"Hey!" Sirius shouted in mock rage.

"What?" Hermione asked, eyes glittering with hidden humour.

"You could have been nicer about it," Sirius pouted.

"She was nice about it," Harry chirped happily as he stood, shadows caressing him lovingly. "I would have said it was due to your big mouth and habit of contracting verbal diarrhoea."

Everyone laughed when Sirius leapt towards Harry, who ran from the room with a playful shriek. Sirius followed him shouting, "Traitor!"

"Let's go eat," Remus chuckled. "Then we can leave."

"Sounds good to me," Severus smirked

"Is Miss Granger going to be alright here?" Lucius asked with a slight frown as he looked around for the girl in question.

"Sirius will be here," Remus smiled knowingly at the Malfoy Lord, "and Blaise will be in class most of the afternoon."

Lucius smiled in relief, making everyone with him chuckle softly as they followed the barking laughter of the Grimm animagus, the shrieking laughter of the cat-demon and the joyful laughter of the fox demon.

~whoelselikeswinter?~

Aeron Carthwryt glanced at his watch for the fourth time in six minutes and scowled. His client had five minutes before they were scheduled to meet with him, but he was still annoyed that they were not already at the first property waiting for him.

"Thank you for meeting with us today Mr Carthwryt," a young male voice stated. "I trust you haven't been waiting for long?"

Aeron turned around sharply only to come face-to-face with a youth of around seventeen with ice-grey eyes and hair of platinum blonde. Behind him stood a petite youngster with black hair and the brightest green eyes he had ever seen. The sound of a throat clearing bought his attention back to the taller teen, who just raised an eyebrow at him, obviously waiting for an answer.

"Look kid," he stated with a slight sneer, "I'm busy. The client I am waiting for is now …" he looked at his watch, "fifteen minutes late and I'm not interested in whatever you have to say."

"I see," Draco drawled, looking the man over like one would a rust-covered car. He spun around gracefully and placed a gentle hand on the back of his companion. "Come along Harry, it seems we are wasting Mr Carthwryt's very valuable time. We will go back to Remus and Severus."

Harry smiled up at Draco as the blonde pulled out a sleek silver mobile and pressed a few buttons while walking slowly in the direction they had come from.

"That wasn't the best thing to do," a smooth tenor voice stated from Aeron's side making him jump. "After all," the voice continued, "That was your client for this afternoon."

Aeron froze in place as the owner of the voice cheerfully called for the two teens to wait for him. His blood froze when the younger blonde's voice reached him as the person on the opposite end of the line answered.

"Hello Corin, it's Draco. Would you mind rescheduling the inspections for some time next week with a different employee? The one you sent is … how did he put it? Ah yes … 'too busy to waste his time on whatever I had to say since he wasn't interested'."

Aeron gulped when the two blondes and the raven-haired teen stopped and after a short discussion nodded and the phone was switched off. Then his phone rang.

After hanging up from the verbal thrashing he had received from his boss, Aeron glared at it. As he passed the trio, his eyes landed on the black haired teen.

"Aren't you a little too young to be engaged, or are you just the family slut?"

The teen placed a calming hand on the younger blonde and smiled sweetly at the disgraced man.

"Aren't you too old to behave like a petulant five year old denied sweets or do you act that way because that is your intelligence level?"

Aeron's face turned bright red in rage and he lifted his hand to backhand the boy, only for the older blonde to catch his wrist and a stern voice barking out his name. He turned to glare at the new intruder, only to pale at the dangerously narrowed eyes of his boss and the murderous expressions on the faces of two new males.

"You are to go and back your desk, Mr Carthwryt. From now, you are fired. You will get your last pay cheque in a few days. I want you gone before I get back. If anything is damaged or missing that isn't yours, I WILL be charging you."

"Be assured that I will be pressing charges," the older blonde stated firmly, "on behalf of my son."

"And I will be pressing charges on behalf of my charge," the sandy-haired male growled. "How dare you call any minor by that atrocious term!"

"It just makes it worse for you that you chose to take your temper out on the Heir of the Most Ancient house of Potter, who is engaged to the heir of the Malfoy line," the new dark haired male purred.

"Let's not forget godson and possible heir to the Ancient and Noble house of Black," the sandy-haired man stated with a sadistic grin of pleasure as Aeron fainted.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – The green green grass of home

Lucius sighed in exasperations as Harry once again rejected the place they were looking at.

"Picky, isn't he?" Severus muttered, unable to completely hide his amusement at the blonde's behaviour.

"I think I'd rather go shopping with him again," the blonde man muttered back. "At least he had a reason to do what he was doing there."

"He's got a reason for doing this as well," Remus said as he watched Harry and Draco converse with the lady who was their guide for the afternoon. "Remember what Draco said – 'A place for them and their younglings where they can feel safe'. If Harry doesn't' feel safe then he won't allow Draco to waste his money on it."

"Add to that that it was YOU and Draco who picked out the areas, not HIM and Draco," Severs said seriously. "You probably didn't take his interests into mind when you stated what was wanted."

As everyone gathered around the port key to the next property on the list, Lucius blushed as he realised that, once again, he was treating his son and his son's mate as though they were fledglings.

~~~harrykittyiscute~~~

Harry kept his eyes clenched tight as the seemingly innocent item they were touching spun around yet again as it lifted them off the ground. He leaned back slightly as the arms of his mate tightened around him slightly in assurance. As soon as the sick feeling growing in his stomach vanished after the journey was over, he opened his eyes and gaped. Before them lay a paradise of gently rolling hills, green paddocks, a small wood and a gently bubbling stream.

"Can you see it?" Harry asked softly as he leaned back against Draco's chest, ignoring everyone else.

"I can," Draco whispered back looking around in awe. "Four buildings around an inner courtyard, two or three rooms in each - A kitchen/Dining combined in the inner courtyard, bedrooms in two buildings, family room and toy room in another with a large study and an entertainment room in the other."

Harry nodded, seeing what Draco could see. "Kitchen garden around the outer edge of the courtyard and a soft grassy area for our kits to play and A nice garden for when our kits are all grown with kits of their own …" The two of them beamed at each other and hugged in excitement.

"Do you see any of that?" Severus asked the two men beside him.

"No," Lucius deadpanned.

"All I see is green," Remus said with a slight grin, "And it looks like Draco is off the hook with Harry … for now at least."

"You have to admit that he did the smartest thing possible in that instance," Lucius smirked as his son strode over to their realtor to converse with her while his mate happily skipped around the area before laying on a patch of grass and rolling around on it happily, making the three men laugh softly.

"Yeah, he did," Remus agreed, "now all he has to do is make sure that he can keep abreast of designing a house, getting it built, keeping up with his schoolwork while studying for his NEWTs all while lavishing Harry with the same amount of love and devotion he has been giving him since they first met."

Severus rubbed his temples. "I'll make sure to have a ready supply of calming potion on hand for when he breaks down."

Lucius just gaped at the werewolf. He hadn't needed to do that for Draco's mother … Merlin help his son; he was going to need it.

~~~Ilovevamp!draco~~~

Hermione and Sirius pounced onto the first person to enter the room, resulting in Remus yelping as he was tackled to the floor, much to Severus' entertainment.

"How'd it go?" Sirius asked once he and Hermione had untangled themselves from their victim and had given both men a plate of food each. "And where are Harry, Draco and Lucius?"

"It went … eventually," Severus smirked. "Harry certainly has more of his mother's taste then his fathers, that's for sure."

Sirius let out a barking laugh and ran a hand through his hair. "Let me guess, Lucius went extravagant and expensive and Harry said no to each and every one of them."

Remus nodded with a grin as he took a gulp of his tea, "Only to confuse everyone bar Draco when he chose a block of land, nothing else."

Blaise snorted in amusement from the doorway into the kitchen making everyone jump at the sound. "Draco would have bought a block of land from the beginning if Lucius hadn't gotten involved. One of his hobbies is design and he has wanted to build his own house since he was four years of age. Lucius thought that it might be too much for Draco and suggested they look at houses rather than land. Looks like Draco got his wish after all."

"He most certainly did," Severus muttered. "To the point that both he and Harry could see the house already built and themselves living in it after their children leave for lives of their own."

Blaise whistled, impressed. "So where is the big lug? Don't tell me he's gone and started the plans already."

Remus sniggered at the disgruntled look on the other teen's face. "No, Draco and Harry joined Lucius at the Three Broomsticks for the evening meal. Lucius is apologising for not coming back for three days since work and Narcissa is insisting on his time."

The three who didn't know nodded their understanding.

"Isn't it Bella's turn to be introduced tomorrow?" Sirius asked after a couple of moments.

"Yes," Blaise replied. "And Mondays are mine and Draco's busiest days so we will only really get to spend time here for meals and until curfew. Draco will have even less time than I will because he has called for Quidditch tryouts from right after lessons end to the beginning of dinner. At least I will have the time before we eat to do homework – Draco will have to do it after eating."

"I'm sure he will manage just fine," Hermione said with a sweet smile. "Harry still hasn't written up his finding from everyone's appointments this morning. He will probably do it tomorrow while Draco does his homework. Harry is happy to just spend time in the same room as people he likes. He doesn't need their attention on him all the time."

Everyone looked up as the door to the room opened to reveal a sparkly-eyed Harry.

"Sorry it took so long," he chirruped happily. "Draco had to go somewhere before we had our meal so Lucius kept me company until he got back. Draco sends his thanks and apologies for not coming in. He said he wishes to double check the work he has done for his last few assignments."

Blaise ran a hand over his eyes. "Not again! I had better go and prevent him from re-writing them all again." He bowed to the people in the room and placed a gentle kiss to the back of Hermione's hand. "I shall see you on the morrow." He left the room with his head held high, winking at Hermione before the door shut behind him, leaving a giggling teen in his wake.


	20. Chapter 19 - I'm your Auntie Bella,

Chapter 19 – I'm your Auntie Bella, but you can call me Trixie

The following morning Hermione woke feeling as though something was horribly wrong. It took her several minutes before she realised what was wrong; Harry had fallen asleep in their room the night before and he wasn't in it any more. It had happened every now and then when they were still at Mama Figg's, but he had always woken her up before leaving. She shook her head in an effort to get rid of the feeling of abandonment. Just as she was about to kick off her sheets, the door opened a little.

"She's still asleep," she heard Sirius whisper to whoever was behind him. "Are you sure we have to do this?"

"Yes," Remus' voice sighed. "Every day since Harry and Hermione met she has been woken by him. Today will be the first time outside of sickness that it will not have happened. She will need us this morning."

Hermione let out a soft sob as it hit her that Harry wasn't going to be there to wake her up and within a minute she had a familiar pair of arms around her; Arms that had held her comfortingly after falling down and bumping her head. Instinctually, she put her arms around the person holding her and burst into heart-wrenching sobs.

~~~talltalllines~~~

"What's the matter with Rinie?" a worried voice came from the doorway five minutes after the tears had started. "Is she sick? Is she hurt?"

Remus spun around while Sirius looked up from the girl clinging to him only to see Harry standing in the doorway holding a tray containing a pot, a jug and two mugs on it. His eyes never left the shaking form of his sister and his ears flattened in worry.

"Maybe you should go and let us deal with this Kit," Remus said softly as he walked towards the teen. Large green eyes looked up into Remus' and he flinched at the devastated look in them.

"You don't want me here?" Harry asked in a small, broken voice that made both men rear back at the raw pain it held and Hermione to look at him. "Can … can y-you give h-her this?" Harry held up the tray, placing it gently on top of the closest piece of furniture to him. Without another word, Harry picked up one of of the mugs and shadowed out of the room.

Moments later, three trays full of food and a stack of mail on each appeared a, as did another with another full pot and two mugs. None of them heard the door to Remus' rooms opening, nor did they hear it being shut firmly five minutes later. When the three of them eventually made it to the entrance rooms, the only thing they found was a letter and an untouched plate of food and a pile of unopened mail.

~~~apleasedontkillmeline?~~~

When Harry woke that morning, he smiled at the idea he'd had just before going to sleep. Without wasting a moment, Harry leapt out of bed and wrote three letters. Reading through them, he nodded and sent them to the recipients through his shadows, which had taken the form of owls for this job. From there, he made his bed, had a shower and dressed as quietly as he could. It was tradition for him to wake Hermione up in the morning and until Draco and he were bonded, he would continue to do so.

He felt, however, that his usual method of jumping on her as a kitten was below the level of maturity a marked and contracted submissive should show.

So, fighting the urge to transform by remember just how exhausted his sister had been the night before, he skipped happily into the kitchen to start breakfast and get a pot of tea ready for the two of them to share while they caught up with the other like they hadn't been able to do since before they left the Orphanage. Humming happily, he sorted the mail that was on the table and put his and Hermione's onto two separate trays, followed quickly by cutlery and a plate loaded with food. As he looked at the clock, he mentally went through a checklist.

'Send letter to Blaise, Draco and the Professor asking them not to come until lunch so Rinie and I can have time to chat … Check

Make Rinie's favourite breakfast … Check

Make a pot of tea for two … Check

Remember to do the same for Remi and Siri … Check

Sort mail … Check.'

With a satisfied nod that everything had been done and hoping that the extra hour sleep had done Hermione some good, Harry picked up the tray holding the tea and walked carefully to the room he shared with his sister

~~~noreallypleasedontkillmeforthisline~~~

After Remus had told him to leave the room, Harry worked mechanically to put Hermione's, Remus' and Sirius' meals on the trays and to send them up to them. It wasn't until he sat alone at the normally crowded table with an empty tea mug and a plate of food he could no longer handle the thought of eating that he allowed the hurt that was in his chest to manifest physically into barely heard bitter tears.

He was so deep in his depressed thoughts that he didn't notice the dark-haired lady that had just stepped out of the fireplace until a gentle hand ran thorough his hair.

"Wh-who y-you?" he asked, hiccoughing for breath through his tears.

"I'm your Auntie Bella," she replied with a tender smile, "but you can call me Bellatrix or Trixie until you are more comfortable around me."

Harry nodded and leaned slightly into the hand in his hair, tears still streaming down his cheeks. "I-I'm H-Harry. P-pleased to me-met y-you," he managed to get out between hard-to-get-breaths.

"What's the matter Sweetling?" Bellatrix cooed, unable to help herself. She had always wanted children of her own, but after she had miscarried for the fourth time, it had been discovered that she would never be able to carry a child. An illness she had caught in her childhood hadn't been caught in time for any damage that it had done to her internal organs to be fixed, essentially leaving her infertile. She had been devastated by the news and her husband hadn't wasted time in divorcing her and marrying his mistress.

Harry opened his mouth and the story poured from his lips between newly started sobs.

Bellatrix hugged the teen tightly to her when he had finished his story, mind racing. Nodding firmly, she released him and placed her hands on his cheeks. "Don't worry about them," she said with a soft smile. "Everyone here knows that Sirius is an overgrown child and while Remus is an intelligent man, he hasn't realised yet that it is best to allow things to work out naturally and to not interfere unless he is asked to mediate. As for Hermione … she has been your protector for so long that it is going to take her a while to get used to the fact that she is no longer your primary protector. It will help a little bit since she has her own mate wooing her, but by the time they bond, you will have already bonded and had at least one litter. It is only hitting her now because Draco initiated the highest form of bonding between vampire and mate yesterday and you are reacting to it by becoming far less shy, more mature and more independent than you normally are."

Harry nodded as he thought on what had been said. "Is that why Lady Malfoy acted the way she did when we first arrived? Draco told me that once he reached a certain age she started pulling away from him. Is that why? Was she trying to prevent the amount of hurt she would feel at Draco finding someone for him to care for?

"That she was," Bellatrix stated, impressed. "It may have taken a while, but she did eventually admit it. She didn't think about the fact that whoever Draco mated with would be family as well."

Harry nodded. "Do … do you think she would be interested in going to a café for tea sometime today?" he asked, biting his lip, unsure.

"I have a better idea," Bellatrix grinned. "How about the three of us – You, me and 'Cissa – go out for some girl time at the day spa? The one Cissa and I frequent caters to females and submissives of creature decent. I'll leave a note for the three upstairs and I'll tell Sev where we are going so he can tell Draco, then we will go to the Spa House and contact Narcissa to join us."

Harry nodded shyly, a small smile on his face. "I think I would like that Auntie Bella," he said. "I'll pop down to the Professor while you write the letter." Without waiting for a reply, he vanished into shadow.

"That would be a hand talent to have," Bellatrix murmured softly as she reached for the parchment.

~~~chickenlinedance~~~

Ten minutes later Harry found himself sitting on a red leather lounge chair in a waiting room that smelt slightly of coconut, vanilla and sandalwood sipping at a freshly made cup of green tea with lemongrass. As soon as they had arrived, Bellatrix had gently pushed him into a seat and had spoken to one of the ladies behind the counter before leaving thorough the cheerfully crackling fireplace.

For a moment, Harry felt a small wave of depression wash over him when he turned to point out the interesting way the flames had changed to green before Bellatrix had vanished to Hermione, only for him to remember she wasn't with him, but that moment was over within only seconds as another pot of tea was delivered. He was halfway through the second pot when Bellatrix returned, followed closely by a very attractive blonde lady whom he knew to be Draco's mother.

Harry hesitated slightly before he placed his cup down and stood up. "G-good m-morning Lady M-Malfoy," he stammered as he extended a hand that shook with nerves. "I'm H-Harry. I-it's nice to m-meet you."

Narcissa ignored the hand and stepped forward, bringing the nervous and slightly scared demon into a tight hug.

"It's Narcissa Dear," she whispered into the boy's black hair. She pulled away and held him at arm's length, looking him over. "I apologise for my deplorable behaviour towards you the first time we met. I do not know why I reacted in that manner and I will try my best to ensure it doesn't happen again."

Harry smiled shyly up at her. "It's okay Lad … Narcissa," he blushed at the amused stare both women gave him to correct his vocabulary. "Auntie Bella explained it to me earlier since Rinie is reacting oddly at the moment. I also can't judge you for wanting to protect your son." Harry grinned a bit and giggled softly, "after all, I'll probably do worse to anyone after one of my kits, when I have them."

Narcissa laughed joyously. "I pity the mates of my grandchildren then. They will have demons, vampires, elves, a werewolf and more than a few wizards and witches watching their every move."

Harry giggled softly, only to jump when a new voice sounded from beside them.

"I apologise for interrupting," the lady said with an easy smile, "the rooms are ready for you now. We have you booked in for the house special including the detox bath, exfoliation pool, reflexology massage, manicure, pedicure and facials amongst other things. There are drinks and snacks provided throughout the day, as is lunch. Please follow me."

Narcissa and Bellatrix exchanged looks and grabbed one of Harry's arms each, pulling the giggling teen with them and unable to prevent their own laughter from jointing his.

~~~bouncyline~~~

To say that Draco was angry was an understatement. He paced around the room he shared with Blaise growling dep in his chest. Blaise, who was seated on his bed, remained silent, knowing that the blonde vampire would eventually calm down.

"You are going to be late for lunch if you don't leave soon," the blonde muttered after throwing himself face-first onto his bed.

"I was unsure as to if I was going," Blaise replied bluntly. "I have no desire to deal with a vampire who feels as though they've been betrayed by one of their own."

Draco sat up abruptly. "I would NEVER stop you from seeing your mate, Blaise. I'm not that heartless. I know that Hermione's reaction is normal and I have a book I want you to give her when you do go that will clear it up for her. I'm pissed at Sirius and Remus for making it worse. If they had just butt out and realised that Harry now looks to me for guidance and how to act, they would have seen that harry and Hermione would be fine and I wouldn't be not seeing my mate right now!"

Blaise smirked, knowing Draco couldn't see it. He found it hilarious that Draco was acting like the proverbial bull in the China shop over him not seeing his mate. "Which book and where is it?" he asked. "I want to get there before Professor Snape so I can watch the show and give him one of his own."

Draco chuckled, knowing that Severus was on the other side of the door listening in just in case he was required to calm a raging vampire. "I do believe that Severus already has it in his hands and has done since the beginning. Remember, he dealt with Aunt Bella when Father claimed Mother so he would be familiar with the signs and would know that I would eventually cool down enough to realise that Hermione's reaction is natural and expected."

He smiled at his friend. "Make sure to tell her that even though I'm not happy with any of them, I don't hold it against her."

"And what are you going to be doing?" Severus asked as he stepped into the room.

"I am going to have lunch in the Hall then go to the library to start my Arithmancy homework and finish my charms essay. If I can get the research for the first done, I'll only need an hour to do a rough write up for Blaise to look over and tell me what I've missed."

Severus nodded and swept from the room, a chuckling Blaise following him. Draco rubbed his eyes tiredly before gathering the things he would need and walking out of the room.

~~~spaline~~~

"Did you want to go first or shall I?" Severus asked before they even let the dungeons.

"I think I will go first," Blaise said thoughtfully. "I want to use this opportunity to make this lesson stick in Hermione's mind."

"What lesson is that?"

"The one where she learns not to take everything those two say as gospel without talking to the other party first. Draco and I may be friends first and foremost, but it doesn't change the fact that the Zabini family swears fealty to the Malfoy family every generation. I'm not going to allow anyone to endanger either bond I have to Draco over something so minor as a submissive growing into the person they are meant to be due to the right Dominant's touch. It has happened to subs all throughout history and will happen to subs far into the future."

"I can't argue with that," Severus stated, secretly amused by the younger males reasoning.

The two of them reached their destination within ten minutes and Severus walked in, followed by Blaise.

"Hey there," he said with a genuine smile at the cinnamon eyed girl.

"Hi Blaise," she replied, "Sorry about breakfast."

"Don't worry about it, Draco and I understood. Did you enjoy the time alone with Harry?"

Hermione looked up at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Draco and I got a note from Harry this morning asking if we would mind not having breakfast with you today so the two of you could spend an hour or so together to reconnect after the full on week that you've both had. He also said something about it allowing you to sleep a bit longer as well since you seemed exhausted yesterday. I admit to noticing something a bit odd yesterday but I never thought it was exhaustion …"

Remus and Sirius exchanged panicked looks as Hermione covered her mouth with both hands and tears welled up in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Blaise asked a little shocked at the response.

"Harry didn't wake Hermione or us up this morning," Remus explained, wide-eyed. "We thought it was because he was starting to exclude us from his life now he has his mate."

"And did any of you think of asking him what was going on?" Severus asked with an eyebrow raised, already knowing the answer. He shook his head as the three of them looked away.

"Draco apologises for not being here," Blaise stated, bringing everyone's attention to him once more, "but he felt that if he did turn up, he would do something that would harm his relationship with his mate – such as killing one of his family members. As it stands, he is very annoyed at you Sirius and Remus," his eyes flicked to Hermione.

"He also said for me to assure you that he doesn't hold you responsible for this mess even though he isn't happy with you either. He heard stories from his parents and Professor Snape about how his Aunt reacted to know why you reacted the way you did."

"He wants you to read this," Severus cut in when Blaise stopped for a breath. "This is the book I gave Bella when Lucius began courting Narcissa. He believes you will benefit from them in some way." He handed the teary-eyed girl a book of average thickness. "It describes all levels of a vampire courtship – including what happens with a submissive during the entire process."

"Draco may not hold it against you," Blaise stated, making Hermione loose the slight smile she had given the older male, "but I do. I almost didn't come today."

Hermione, Remus and Sirius gaped at the Dark Elven boy.

"W-why?" Hermione asked, voice trembling slightly.

"You didn't talk to Harry about the problem," Blaise answered bluntly. "Harry changed a routine that hadn't changed in many years and instead of asking him if something was wrong you allowed someone to throw him out of the room you were in – while you were in tears, none-the-less – and neither adult checked on him to see how he was. It was only luck that he forgot that Bellatrix was coming today otherwise he would have been alone in his misery until one of you decided to finally get your arse downstairs."

The three of them flinched back.

"On top of that," Blaise continued, "Harry is Draco's mate. Draco is my best friend and he has been since we were toddlers, but he is also my Liege Lord. My family have sworn fealty to his family for many generations. I swore fealty to them a week before school started. It is only because Draco made it adamantly clear that he would never keep my from my mate and his urging me to come that I came at all."

"You know what happened this morning," Sirius stated with his eyes narrowed. "Why did you act like you didn't know?'

"I heard Harry's side and what Bellatrix had guessed. I wanted to see what Hermione had to say and how she reacted to what the plans were. I can honestly say I wasn't surprised to discover that the story I heard and that had been put together by Bella was one hundred percent on the money."

He placed a hand on one of Hermione's cheeks and gave the girl a gentle kiss on the forehead, "next time something like this happens, talk to Harry. If you can't do it alone, fetch me and Draco. All four of our lives are intertwined and none of us will be left in the dark. Believe me when I say that I will be going to Harry for advice when you do something I have no experience with and I don't doubt that Draco will be here nearly every day in the near future begging for even a hint at something Harry likes," He finished teasingly, making Hermione giggle. "Now, what's for lunch?"

Severus smiled slightly as Blaise lead Hermione into the kitchen before turning to the two men before him. "Learn how to keep out of other people's business," he stated bluntly, making the two of them wince. "You could have aided in the collapse of the strongest partnership in the magical world and all because of a natural process all submissives who find their dominant goes through. It's called 'Grounding', I suggest that you look it up and learn to wait until you are asked to help or your help is genuinely needed. I would think of a way to apologise to all four youngsters if I were you. Oh, and stay clear of Draco until Harry has had a chance to calm him down; He's rather pissed at you."

Severus followed the two youngsters into the dining room, leaving two very pale men behind.

~~~lineline~~~

Harry smiled into the darkness of the sensory deprivation tank. At first, he was weary of the device but once he entered it he relaxed as soon as the lid had been closed. It felt like home and safety. It was memories of nests made in cupboards and wardrobes and playing hide and seek after finding a cosy hole in a tree just the right size for a tiny black kitten. With such comforting memories playing in his mine, it wasn't at all surprising that he feel into a deep sleep, a soft rumbling purr filling the endless darkness.

After the hour had passed, Narcissa and Bellatrix waited anxiously for the top of the container Harry was in to open. Both women had experienced the device and while they enjoyed the opportunity to allow their minds to come to a halt every now and then, they had no idea how their guest was taking it. As soon as the top opened, neither woman could prevent the coo that came from their mouths at seeing the cat demon fast asleep while a shadow prevented him from sinking. They almost squealed like little girls when the teen's green eyes opened into slits and he yawned and stretched in the same fashion as the feline he was.

"I guess you like this one," Bellatrix said with a smile.

Harry nodded frantically, a large grin on his face. "if I'm really good, do you think I can get one for my birthday?"

The two women looked at each other and grinned. "Ask Draco," they chorused. Harry giggled.

"What next?" he asked as he bounced on one spot. So far they had been slathered in mud – Harry didn't like that one bit; it made his tail itch and it was a pain to get out out of his fur – wrapped in seaweed – Harry made the ladies with him laugh after they noticed that he had started to eat it – and had a rather tasty herbal tea and fruit salad and just now they had finished a session of complete and utter darkness.

"I think the exfoliation pool and then the detox bath before lunch. How's that sound?" Narcissa asked.

"Sounds wonderful," Harry chirruped happily. The time he had spent surrounded by shadows had enlivened him to almost hyperactivity.

~~~kittyline~~~

It was well into lunch when Narcissa and Bellatrix managed to stop laughing every time they looked at Harry – who was still pouting at them. They had been unlucky enough that they hadn't been able to go right into the exfoliating pool due to it already being used, so they had swapped it out with the detox bath. As only two baths had been available, Harry had admitted to not liking the scent that was coming from them and had easily agreed to the foot soak as an alternative.

The event that had both women almost in tears of mirth, however, came when they had been given the all clear for the exfoliation pool. The pool itself was only large enough for a maximum of eight people and was, much to Harry's interest, full of fish. Needless to say, the feline in Harry sat up and took interest once the teen entered the water. For the entire forty-five minutes they were in the pool, Harry was torn between allowing the fish to do their jobs and catching the wriggling snacks. The latter was what had given Bellatrix, Narcissa and the two women in charge of the room a bad case of the giggles.

"From now on, no exfoliation pool," Narcissa's humour filled voice stated as she ate her meal.

"I agree," Bella nodded, an arm wrapped around her stomach. "I haven't laughed that much since before my wedding." A movement at the corner of her eye made her focus on Harry. "Aren't you hungry?"

Harry looked up from the fish he was poking with his fork. "I am, it's just … am I the only one who's noticed that we've gone from being eaten by fish to eating fish?"

The two older women looked at each other and burst into peals of laughter once again leaving Harry to pout cutely at them, secretly happy that he had made the two ladies laugh – even if he didn't think that what he had said was at all funny.

~~~quizline~~~

It was just after the evening meal when the two ladies and Harry returned to Hogwarts.

"Thank you both for the wonderful day," Harry said bashfully. "I've never done anything like that before."

"Thank you for allowing the both of us to share in your day," Narcissa replied with a smile. "We enjoyed it just as much as you did."

Harry smiled sweetly at them. "Would you like to come in for a cuppa? Everyone is here already, even Lucius."

"That sounds lovely," Bellatrix answered for both of them, indicating for Harry to lead the way, even though she knew where they were heading.

They were almost at their destination when a blur attacked Harry in the middle of the corridor. Bella and Narcissa blinked in surprise when Harry melted into Draco's embrace while said blonde sniffed and licked all over his mate's neck.

All four of them jumped when a throat was cleared close to them. Standing in the door that Draco had just left from stood Lucius and Severus, both with an eyebrow raised, both with arms crossed and both wearing a look on their face that screamed, 'Teenagers.'

"Did the three of you have fun today?" Lucius asked once Draco had released Harry.

"It was wonderful!" Harry chirruped, "They had a pool full of snacks-that-weren't-snacks and a container of dark!" Harry's eyes lit up and he turned around and through himself at his mate. "If I'm really really good, can I get a container of Dark for my birthday?" he asked, looking up at the taller blonde with wide, hopeful eyes.

Draco felt himself melt even as he tried his hardest to not give in. He sighed and, ignoring the giggles coming from his mother and Aunt, said, 'We will see how the construction of the house is going first. Once the house is done, then we will see."

Harry beamed and snuggled into Draco's chest, allowing himself to be lead towards Remus' rooms. As the two of them became more involved with each other, Lucius and Severus looked at the two laughing women in confusion.

"Snacks that aren't snacks?" Severus mouthed in question, moving aside to allow the boys to pass.

"Container of Dark?" Lucius mouthed at the same time.

Narcissa hooked her arm through her husbands with a smile as she and Bellatrix pulled the two men into the room once again, telling them everything that had happened that day.


	21. Chapter 20 - Resolution

Chapter 20 – Resolution

That night was the first time in anyone's memory that Harry refused to acknowledge Hermione, Sirius or Remus. From the very moment he stepped through the door, Harry greeted Severus and Blaise yet refused to look in the direction of his family. After nearly an hour of watching his mate interacting happily with all of his family without shying away and discretely watching Remus, Sirius and Hermione mope, Draco stepped in.

"I'm going to get some more drinks," he said as he stood, "Who wants what?"

A chorus of 'Tea please' with one 'Coffee" responded to him and he chuckled.

"Think you can come help me Kitten?" he asked Harry with a smile.

"Of course!" Harry beamed, excusing himself to Lucius and Narcissa and laughing softly at Bellatrix – who was playfully trying to lick Severus' cheek while he was holding a conversation with Remus and Hermione.

Once in the kitchen, Draco pulled Harry into his arms, tucking the demon's head under his chin.

"Draco?" Harry asked, confused.

"Why aren't you talking to them?" Draco asked softly, knowing that his Father, Remus, Blaise and Hermione at least would be able to hear their conversation. "Is it punishment?"

Harry pulled back as fast as he could. "No!" he answered, face full of alarm. "It's not polite to air dirty laundry before guests. When everyone goes, I'll talk to them and get it all sorted out. I don't want to be rude and leave the room to deal with a personal problem."

"It's not just that," Draco stated, putting a gentle hand on Harry's cheek. "Tell me, Love. I can't help if I don't know."

Harry nuzzled into the hand on his cheek slightly before turning and starting on making the drinks for everyone in the other room.

"Remi and Siri have known me since I was born," Harry said softly as he waited for the water to heat up, choosing to do it manually rather than with magic. "Rinie has known me since I was two." He went silent again.

Draco waited patiently as he got the milk jug and sugar container ready, knowing that his mate needed time to sort out his thoughts and emotions.

"They've known me for so long and they still thought that of me," Harry said, his voice full of how much he was hurting. "Have they always thought that I would abandon them the minute I had a mate? Have they always thought so low of me? Have they been waiting for it to happen so they could hurt me before I hurt them? If they thought it of me, why did they stay? Was it for the memory of a man that lives in their hearts but means not much to me?"

Harry turned to face Draco and was pulled tight to his chest.

"I love mum and dad," Harry whispered, 'they are my parents but … I don't remember them. It was Mama Figg and Rinie who looked after me when I was sick or scared. Mama Figg taught me to cook and how to take care of myself. It was Tom who taught me to read and write. Mama Figg and Tom are the only parents I remember. I'm terrified that Sirius and Remus have only stayed with me due to their relationship with my Father and not because they love me."

"And Hermione?" Draco asked, hugging Harry tighter, knowing deep down that this wasn't a new fear for his mate.

"Rinie and I are bound by the ritual we did, so I know she loves me," Harry began.

"But," Draco urge softly after several minutes of silence.

"So why did she believe Sirius and Remus right away without using our mental bond like she usually does? I know I shut my side of it down, but we always keep it closed when at least one of us is asleep."

"Does the connection open on its own or do you need to open it?" Draco asked.

"It opens itself half an hour after we are both awake. It's how I knew to take Rinie's tea to her." A tear fell down. Harry's cheek as he looked up at Draco. "She didn't even pay attention to what my thoughts were because the only time I thought of you was a part of my 'to do' list of the morning and the rest of it was focused on what we could talk about."

Draco leaned down and gently licked the tears from Harry's cheeks. "Hush Kitten, it's alright. We'll fix this. First we will have ourselves a cup of tea with everyone and once everyone is gone we'll set up a talk between you, Hermione, Sirus and Remus. How's that sound?"

"Would … Can you stay? Please?" Harry whispered, biting his lip.

"I will stay to mediate Kitten, if that is what you wish, but you need to be the one to talk to them. It will be hard, but it will be worth it – You'll see."

"Promise?"

Draco placed a soft kiss to the bridge of Harry's nose. "I promise. After this, your relationship with all three of them will get stronger. Misunderstandings are a big part of family life – one that you and Hermione don't seem to have had before due to your upbringing and your natures. While they do hurt more than betrayal, Misunderstandings lead to growth for both the individuals and to the relationships between the individuals. I can promise you that you and I will have a few of them over the years as well as arguments, debates, fights and territorial disputes – but it never means that we don't love each other anymore, nor does it mean that we never did love each other. It just means that we are two people with differing opinions who are trying to live side-by-side the best we can."

Harry nodded, looking even more alarmed than before.

Draco sighed and shook his head. "For example," he said, making Harry look at him, "would you say Willa and Nicholas loved each other?"

"Of course," Harry replied with a smile at the thought of the elven woman and her husband. "They adore each other, that much is obvious."

"Would you believe that sometimes the two of them fight so much that Blaise gets the girls and brings them to my place?"

Harry looked startled. "Really?"

Draco nodded, completely serious. "Sometimes they fight over the kids and sometimes fight because they are both really tense and they just snap at each other. The biggest fight the two of them had was seven years ago when Blaise got his letter for school. Nicholas wanted him to go to the school Willa had gone to in Italy because they have a better range of subjects to choose from comparted to Hogwarts, but Willa wanted Blaise to come to Hogwarts because he was going to be closer to her and he would have a friend with him. Mother, Father and I had Blaise and Carla at Malfoy Manor or nearly a full week before the two of them appeared one day and apologised to us all for their behaviour and to thank Mother and Father for looking after Blaise and Carla before seating the two of them down so they could talk to Blaise about what he wanted."

Draco placed a gently kiss on the tip of his mate's nose with a smile. "So you see, every relationship has it's rocky patches, but in the end everything works out if both parties want it to."

Harry smiled shyly up at Draco before nuzzling into Draco's chest and walking away to put the finishing touches on the tea.

Draco sighed in relief that he had managed to calm his mate down without putting his foot into it too badly.

~~~bouncykittyissleepy~~~

Blaise hugged Hermione goodbye as everyone else slowly trickled out the door. "I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast," he said with a small smile. "I have a full day of classes to go to so I might have to give lunch a miss."

Hermione pouted up at him. "Why can't you stay?"

"It isn't my place to stay," Blaise answered, putting both hands on Hermione's cheeks. "When Sirius did something that hurt Harry by accident, did you allow Harry to face him alone?"

Hermione scowled, "No! Of course not!"

"And did you allow Tom or Mir Figg or Remus to be in the same room when Sirus was apologising to Harry?"

Hermione sighed and slumped. "If Remus wasn't there at the time it happened, then no, I didn't. I'm not used to being the one that hurts him Blaise." Hermione looked up at her mate with watering eyes. "Everything seems to be falling apart since Tom left."

"Tom left because he had to 'Mione," Blaise stated. "If he hadn't gone when he did, neither you nor Harry would be forming bonds with me and Draco. A mentor bond that is formed between non-family members needs to be broken for the mate bond to form. Tom's part in your lives had finished. If the circumstances were any different, you and Harry would never hear from Tom again. Somehow you, Harry and Tom created a much deeper bond than the usual non-familial mentor/student one."

"Tom was desperate for a family," a soft voice said from the side making the two jump. "He wanted to adopt us but due to ancient law the only being that could adopt us were family members or members of our own sub-species of demon. Because of this rule, we may have, quite possibly, forced the bond to mutate somehow."

Blaise blinked in surprise when he looked at Harry who had a small half-smile on his lips.

"You are welcome to stay if you like Blaise," Harry offered, looking at the space above his head, "this affected you as well; not just as Rinie's mate, but as Draco's vassal."

Blaise smiled crookedly, "I don't have to stay if it makes you uneasy Harry. I'm sure Draco will tell me how it went."

"I don't mind you being here Blaise. You and Rinie may not be progressing as fast as Draco and I are but your lives are entwined together just like Draco's and mine are. I wouldn't dream of keeping something like this from you."

Blaise smiled and lead Hermione into the dining room as Harry vanished into the kitchen with Draco following him with his eyes.

~~~CongratulationsWerebunny87~~~

After fifteen minutes of complete silence bar the sound of china being picked up and placed down, Harry sighed.

"Why?" he asked, looking up at the two men and Hermione who all seemed to shrink under his gaze. "Why did you change our go to plan when something changed? I knew that I would have a personality change when I was mated and I know that Rinie knew because she was in that class with me when Tom gave it to me. Mama Figg also covered it with us every year until we took over the sex talks with the younger children."

"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione said, looking away in shame. "I wasn't expecting it to happen so fast and so soon after Tom broke our bond to him. I felt like I was being left alone; forgotten. It has always been me who has lead the way in everything in our lives to this point, but I can't help you in this because I don't know what is happening."

She sniffed and wrapped her arms around her waist. "I knew intellectually that you would change – becoming more confident and independent from others except your mate – but I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon or so fast or for the amount my heart would hurt due to you not needing me anymore."

Harry walked over and pulled Hermione into a hug, nuzzling her softly and making her giggle wetly by putting his nose into her ear. She responded by gently tweaking one of his ears, making their mates smile at each other in relief.

"I'm always going to need you Rinie," Harry said as he rubbed his jaw along hers. "I might not need you to guide and protect me anymore, but I do need you to love me. To talk to me as a friend and older sister and to help Draco to convince me that I'm not fat when I'm waddling rather than walking when I'm full of my own kittens. I'm going to need you to be there holding my hand when Draco faints or is kicked out of the delivery room for freaking out. My kittens need to know their Auntie Rinie."

With a soft sob, Hermione vanished, followed closely by Harry. Draco raised the table cloth and smiled at the sight that met his eyes. Curled up together under Hermione's chair was a small fox kit curled up with an even smaller black kitten alternating between licking the foxes face and pouncing on the tip of the busy tail that was attempting to cover the foxes muzzle from view.

"We'll let them reconnect before continuing," Draco said as he sat back up with a fond smile, "More tea?"

~~~TheworldisendingIranoutoftea~~~

Thirty minutes later, Harry changed back, face flushed with happiness. He vanished under the table for a moment and returned with an arm full of sleeping fox. "I believe three quarters of this is yours," Harry giggled as he placed the sleeping animal on a bemused Blaise's lap.

"Only three quarters?" Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow. "And who may I ask, does the other quarter belong to?"

"Family of course," Harry teased, making Blaise laugh. When Harry returned to his seat, all traces of playfulness vanished

"Do you only talk to me because you were friends with my Father?" he asked Remus and Sirius bluntly, making everyone who was awake in the room flinch, "Because most of the time that is how it feels."

"Of course not!" Sirus said, voice revealing his shock. "How long have you been thing that?" WHY would you think that?"

Harry put his head down and muttered something that made Remus flinch.

"I'm sorry Kit, unlike you Hermione and Remus, I don't have super hearing so you are going to have to speak up."

"You treat me as thought I am him at times and when Hermione, Mama Figg, Tom or I say so you treat me differently. Both of you stumble between calling me Harry and James at times. You either hug me as though you are terrified I will vanish from you or you hug me like Lucius hugs Severus – one armed and awkward. You tell me stories about mum and dad and you start acting like you did in them then are disappointed that I don't want to do things that dad would do with you. Don't get me started on how often you have needed to be reminded that I am not James Potter because we will be here until next year."

Harry stopped, gasping for breath,. Sirus opened his mouth then closed it with an audible snap when Harry held up a hand.

"Then there are the times that you respond to something without getting all the facts, believing that you are RIGHT when you aren't. You don't know enough about me that you can deduce what I am going to do next – And yes, while this is mostly Sirius, Remus does it as well – he is just better at hiding it. It feels like you don't want to know who I am and would rather me be a clone of James. I can't take it anymore."

"It hasn't got that bad … has it?" Sirius asked, shocked.

"It must have done for Harry to mention it," Remus replied, his hand over his mouth. "Mooney has been alluding to something like this happening for the last few months, but I ignored him as part of trying to suppress him. Gods I am such an idiot!"

"No arguments here," Draco drawled.

Sirius and Remus scowled at the blonde who just raised an eyebrow.

"We promise to try change Harry," Sirus said, turning to look at the teen, "but we will need help from you to do so."

"Tell us when we start bothering you," Remus stated.

"Tell us when we start treating you as James," Sirius contributed.

"And be patient with us," Remus said as he got up and knelt in front of Harry. "We will stuff up from time to time. It doesn't mean we don't care, if just means we are focusing on other things."

"We don't mean to hurt you," Sirus added, copying Remus. "We have loved you since Lily announced she was pregnant and we will continue to love you and Hermione as well as any and all Kits the two of you bring into this world because you are family and that is what family does."

Draco and Blaise left the rooms as quietly as they could as Harry sobbed and threw himself at the two men. Both of them felt lighter than they had that morning and they could almost feel the familial bonds that bound the odd family together grow stronger.


	22. Chapter 21 - Letters from Abroad

Chapter 21 – Letter from abroad

The following morning found all four members in the small and strange family smiling from the moment they woke up. Once again, it was Harry who was the first to wake. Instead of getting up right away, he decided to lie in bed and think over the events of the previous day. After several long moment of thought, he leaped out of his bed and made it before heading downstairs. He was half-way through planning breakfast when he noticed the large stack of letters on the table that he had ignored the previous day.

He bit his lip as he guiltily remembered that he hadn't done any of the work he had planned to do the previous day. With a determined nod, he mentally prepared himself for a long day of paperwork. He just hoped that Bella wouldn't mind.

~~~Ireallyshouldntbewatchingcookingshows~~~

For the second day in a row, Hermione woke by herself. This time, however, she looked around the room and smiled when she saw a pot of tea, her mail, an empty mug and one of Harry's special spiced fruit scones appear on her bedside table. She prepared her tea the way she preferred and took a sip while reaching for the letter on top of the pile.

_Rinie,_

_I have a lot to do today so can you deal with lunch and dinner? I'm drowning in paper … Save me?_

_Harry_

She chuckled and shook her head in amusement. Her brother always made jokes about needing to be saved from evil paperwork when both of them knew that he would glare at anyone who dared to touch it. She bit into the hot, buttered scone and moaned softly as the sweet spice coated her tongue and filled her nose.

'This,' she thought as she reached for her next letter, 'is pure bliss.'

~~~nowIwantaspicedfruitscone~~~

When Bellatrix looked into the sitting room of Remus' quarters, she was greeted by the sight of Remus, Sirius, Hermione and Blaise – who were trying to prevent themselves from laughing, Severus – who had a hand over his mouth and his eyes closed as his shoulders shook – and Draco who had a pout on his face and one of his fingers in his mouth.

"What happened?" she asked. Her reply was everyone in the room bar Draco, who scowled, to burst into laughter.

"Draco touched Harry's paperwork," Remus eventually managed to gasp out. "You do NOT touch Harry's paperwork – especially if said paperwork is anything to do with his job as Healer, his journals or letters."

"Oh dear," Bellatrix said, her top lip twitching in amusement. "What did he do?"

"Gave him a deep scratch across a knuckle and promised to castrate him after Draco had given him one or two litters if he did it again," Sirius said with a wince of sympathy.

Bellatrix looked at her cousin incredulously. "Are you sure he's a submissive?"

Hermione smiled at the woman. "He is a true submissive. It is true that he can and does act dominant in some cases, but that is because he is a DEMON submissive. We are a possessive species and our submissives are completely useless until there are children involved or they find and are accepted by their mate. Harry used to not eat unless either Mama Figg or I put food onto his plate because – and I quote – 'There's just so much to choose from.'"

Hermione smiled nostalgically, "but when one of the younger kids that had been adopted, Harry's claws came out. One time Harry went to visit one of the children that had been adopted out without warning and saw the next door neighbour hit into his kid for no reason. Someone else had witnessed it and called the police but by the time the police came it was too late. Harry had the boy behind him and had sliced the man up rather badly with his claws. When the police moved in to restrain Harry, he hissed at them then returned to cooing and healing the mother and child. He ruffled the kids' hair, smiled at the mother, hissed at the man then walked to the house that he was supposed to be visiting to check on his kitten."

Remus smiled at Bellatrix. "It's hard to imagine, I know. Just think of James' protective quality and couple it with Lily's temperament."

"I heard that Remi," an amused voice said from the doorway behind the wolf, making them all jump slightly. "Breakfast is ready, if you are interested."

Silently everyone walked into the small, over-crowded dining room.

~~~IwonderifIhavealltheingredientstomakepizzascrolls~~~

Harry allowed the soft murmuring to his right wash over him as he dutifully and methodically turned the random numbers, patterns, shapes and colours that Hermione and Blaise had dutifully written as he called them out into an easy-to-read, universally acceptable medical file for each member of the Zabini family. When he was finished, each file was neatly put together and placed in the expanded cabinet he'd had specially made for his patients.

"That was quick," Hermione said, looking up from the book she had been given the day before. "It normally takes you longer to complete."

"It was done sooner than I thought," Harry admitted, "but that could be due to the different circumstances between the backgrounds of the Zabini's to my usual clientele."

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "That is most probably it," she agreed at last. "Did you want to do lunch since you finished earlier than you thought?"

"Well I do need a break …" Harry mused. "How about we both do lunch today?"

"Sounds good to me,' Hermione beamed as she snapped the book shut and got to her feet. "What do you have in mind?"

"How about fishcakes? We haven't had those in a while. With that salad you made for Mama Figg's birthday last year."

"The one with the nuts?"

"No, the one with the herbs."

"Sounds good. Let's go!"

Laughing, the two teens walked into the kitchen, leaving behind a bemused Remus and Bellatrix.

~~~Ineedtea~~~

What's up Bella?" Remus asked the abnormally quiet lady beside him.

"I thought the purpose of this was for him to get used to me and to know me," she pouted.

Remus laughed softly. "He is getting to know you Bella. You being in the same room as him allows him to get used to your presence: Your aura, scent and sound. The only people who he fully interacted with in this process was Blaise and Draco. Even Severus had to deal with being ignored by Harry in favour of a journal, paper or meeting."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I will be the first to admit that my and Sirius' behaviour yesterday was pure stupidity on our part, but the result was Harry forming a sort-of bond with you and Narcissa. Before yesterday even the sound of someone saying Narcissa's name was enough to make Harry freeze. It may not seem like it now or tomorrow when he has an appointment with Willa to check on her and the twins, but he is getting to know you."

Remus smirked, "The first day he had with Lucius, he spent most of it asleep in cat form."

Bellatrix laughed at that, feeling much better about being there.

The door to the room opened and Bellatrix screeched, "SEVIE!" and threw herself onto the man, glomping him and making everyone laugh at the softly cursing man.

~~~Iwantchickensausages~~~

Harry was nearly a quarter of the way through his pile of letters when he froze.

"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked, biting her lip in worry.

"I … I got a letter from Tom …" he said, raising shocked and hopeful eyes to meet hers.

"Open it!" Hermione urged, face breaking out into a beaming smile. "And read it out loud."

Without further provocation, Harry tore into the envelope to reveal several pages of writing.

_Dear Hatchlings._

_Today I must say, has been both the best and most heartbreaking day of my long life to date. I have loved, nurtured, taught and punished you both for many years and as I recover from the backlash of our bond to each other breaking, I am more than proud to claim the both of you as my students and surrogate family. I know that the breaking bond will have affected you as much as it affected me, and I apologise deeply for that._

_The both of you have turned out so much better than I had hoped when I first lay eyes on you and I left the two of you as well rounded young adults with bright futures ahead of you. Together the two of you have taught me that nothing is impossible if you have people who love and support you through everything. It was only this that made it possible for me to walk away from you today. Thank you for believing in me, for trusting me and for welcoming me into your mismatched family._

_You will hear from me soon and often._

_Forever bound to you by Love and Spirit,_

_Thomas M. Riddle._


	23. Chapter 22 - An Uneventful Day

Chapter 22 – An Uneventful Day

Harry and Hermione looked up at each other, both with tears being held back by pure will.

"He …" Harry swallowed against the lump that had formed deep in his throat, "He's proud of us,"

"And he still loves us," Hermione added in a whisper, only just louder than Harry. "He still thinks of us as family."

As one being, the two moved closer together and curled up as best they could. When they were secure in each other's embrace, they allowed their tears to fall.

~Hampsterline~

Bellatrix smiled softly as the kitten and fox playfully jumped and pawed at each other. She had been alarmed to find the two of them with silent tears and had, without thinking, swooped down on the two of them cooing and drying their tears. She hadn't felt it was her place to pry, so rather than asking what was wrong, she just asked what she could do to help.

In reply, the two of them transformed into their creature forms and curled up together on her lap.

She was shocked from her thoughts by bell-like laughter and a rough, wet thing touching her face. She opened her eyes and let out a startled squeak when she found herself eye-to mouth with a black fuzzy thing full of sharp teeth. The laughter once again came and Bellatrix became aware of what the wet, rough thing was, as well as a loud rumbling that she had somehow managed to ignore until now.

"Can someone tell me what, exactly, the cute fluff-ball is doing?" Bella mumbled from around Harry-the-kitten's stomach.

"Congratulations," Remus said with dry amusement, "you've been adopted by a nesting cat-demon."

Bellatrix pulled the kitten off her head and gaped incredulously at the man.

"Is now a bad time for a visit?" the owner of the bell-like laughter asked.

"Luna!" Harry yelled happily as he wriggled free of Bellatrix' grasp and ran towards the girl. Ignoring the man who was standing beside her, he glomped his laughing friend purring happily.

"I'm happy to see you too Harry," Luna said, ignoring how her odd friend was sniffing her and running his fingers through her hair. "How are you today?"

"He's nesting," Remus said with a chuckle. "It finally hit him that his mentor was no longer his mentor and that he is in the process of being courted, so don't be surprised if he starts mothering you."

Harry jumped when a laugh that was slightly deeper than Luna's, but no less musical, came from behind him. Without releasing his blonde friend, Harry tilted his head back until he was able to look into a pair of silver eyes.

"Hi," he chirruped, "you're pretty."

The man smiled softly at the younger male.

"Thank you," he said, "as are you."

Bellatrix chuckled softly as Harry once again turned shy and hid his face in Luna's neck.

"Harry, that was my daddy," Luna giggled softly as the slightly older male sneezed due to the scent spray she had chosen that day. She giggled again when her friend said something, tickling her with the vibrations. "I didn't get that sorry."

Harry nuzzled her neck before starting to lap gently at the corner of her eye, purring soothingly.

Remus coughed, trying to hide his laughter, making Harry snap out of his mothering mode once more. As he realised what he had done, he blushed.

"Sorry," he mumbled with a pout, "I want a kitten."

"I know you do Kitten," a new voice came from the doorway.

Within the blink of an eye, Harry vanished from his spot and appeared in the arms of his mate, mewling for his attention. The black-haired teen let out a purr of contentment as Draco's fangs slipped easily into his shoulder and stayed there. After a few moments, the fangs were removed and the holes were licked closed.

"I also want kittens," the blonde whispered into his mate's flickering ear. "I can't wait to see you round with kits and fledglings, smelling my blood within your body and hearing multiple heartbeats where only one should be." He nuzzled the spot his fangs had just been, "But we have to wait. Only ten months Kitten, then we can start on a kitten or three of our own."

Harry nodded, flushed with both embarrassment and desire for what Draco had described.

Draco placed a gentle kiss to the top of Harry's head and pulled a flat square box rom out of his robe. "I ordered this the day after we signed the contract," he said as he turned Harry around in his arms and placed the box in his hands.

Harry looked up at him with large green eyes, hugging the box to his chest. "For me?"

"For you."

Harry beamed up at Draco and gently removed the ribbon so he could open the box. Harry's eyes widened at what his mate had got him before looking at the slightly nervous vampire.

"I …" the blonde sighed and looked away, flushing slightly. "On Sunday when you got back from visiting Willa and Nicolas, do you remember me biting you?"

Harry nodded with a soft smile. "You also did an odd hiss-growl before-hand."

Draco nodded, still not looking at his mate. "That odd hiss-growl and the bite was a ritual used in ancient times to bond a vampire to their chosen. When we are young, our non-vampire parent feeds us. Once we reach mating age, we no longer are allowed to take their blood and must stick to the artificially made crap until we find our mate. It is rare for a vampire's mate to live the same length of time as the vampire so a ritual was formed to bind the vampire's and its mate's life forces together so the mate wouldn't die before the vampire."

Harry smiled sweetly and rose on tiptoe to nuzzle his mate's cheek. "And you performed it on me that day, didn't you?"

Draco chuckled weakly. "Yeah, I did. It may have been sub-consciously done, but it was still done."

"I don't mind that you marked me Draco," Harry said, cooing softly. "I am yours and you are mine: Our signed and sealed contract is proof enough of that and I probably needed it," he admitted.

"I still would have preferred to talk to you about it though," Draco responded, looking down at his mate. "Anyway, the gift is part of the ritual."

Harry looked back at the open gift with new understanding. Reaching into it, he pulled out a leather wrist cuff that looked butter-soft. It was deep grey in colour with a silver and emerald dragon design stitched around the outside. Harry traced it, awed at its beauty.

"It is my personal motif; my emblem," Draco said, watching his mate closely. "My name means 'Dragon of Bad Faith." He reached into the box and pulled out a collar that matched the cuff perfectly, but had a small dragon charm added. "This is yours," he said as he placed it around Harry's neck, gently caressing the cat-demon's cheek as he ensured it was on correctly.

"This is a claim – my claim – on you for those who do not have an enhanced sense of smell," Draco explained as he fiddled with it. "Dominants get a wrist cuff. Submissives get a collar and those who are born as neither or both are given a necklace or bracelet."

"So if Blaise was a vampire, he and Rinie would have a necklace or bracelet?" Harry asked, fiddling with the cuff.

Draco smiled and nodded, pulling his hands away. "Exactly."

Harry nodded with a smile and gently put the cuff on the wrist of the blonde's dominant hand before placing a soft kiss to the area. When he raised his head, he was startled to see Draco's hand reach for the pendant and the same hiss-growl language from the other day came from the blonde's throat. Both cuff and collar glowed a soft grey before slowly vanishing from view.

"Amazing," Luna's father said, breaking the silence and making both Draco and Harry to jump and hiss at the man. Everyone else laughed or chuckled at the couple.

"You forgot you weren't alone, didn't you?" Bellatrix said, still chuckling softly. She started laughing again when Harry growled cutely at her.

Luna followed her friend to the table when Remus called out that the midday meal was ready. She wasn't participating in any of the conversations that were going on around her, but she didn't feel left out. For the first time in her life, she was included in a group of people who accepted her and were happy to know her. A hand grabbed hers, pulling her from her thoughts as her first friend playfully stuck his nose tip into her ear and sniffed, making her giggle.

'Yes,' she thought as she was pulled behind the playful cat-demon, both of them giggling uncontrollably, 'I could easily get used to this feeling.'

~2BA Line~

Bellatrix smiled as she watched the two demons. She had been lucky in that Remus had explained to her that Harry only needed them to be in the room with him to get him used to their presence. If she hadn't been told, she would have felt extremely put out since the wonderfully playful teen was now seated at the table surrounded by paper and parchment.

"Sorry about this," his voice said, pulling her from her thoughts. "I should have done this yesterday."

"No no no," Bellatrix hastened to assure him, "I don't mind at all. In fact, I find it fascinating to watch you write. You don't seem to stop writing, if just flows smoothly. Even Severus, who is the most literate person I know, can't write like that; even he has to stop and think of the appropriate word of phrase to use at times."

Harry smiled shyly. "It's because I know them so well," he admitted as he returned to the parchment before him. "I know how advanced their language skills are so I don't need to think of how they will interpret something and I know where their interests lie so I can talk – well … write – to them about what they are interested in. The younger children get stories about Hogwarts and the people inside her – a history lesson disguised as fun. Mama Figg or one of the older kids read them out for them so they are all together in one scroll. One scroll per portrait or person. So far they have heard about Siri and Remi. I'm thinking of doing Blaise and his family next. I'll ask tomorrow if they mind."

"Tomorrow?" Bellatrix asked, confused.

"Yeah," Harry replied with a distracted smile on his face. "I see Willa for an hour or so on Wednesday's s and Sundays. I'm her new Healer so I'm keeping a close eye on her and the babies."

"So I still come tomorrow?"

"Of course," Harry looked scandalized at the thought of her not coming. "Just come at around lunch time instead of breakfast, unless you want to chat with Hermione and whoever else comes during the day."

Bellatrix nodded her understanding and focus on the sight and sound of Harry's pen running smoothly across the paper he was writing on.

"I don't really talk to the younger children who are in school about much," Harry admitted as he put aside his now finished letter to one side and reached for a medium sized scroll and a small stack of parchment. "They tell me about their friends, what they are learning and beg me to come visit soon while I ask about how school is going, how they are and promise to visit them as soon as I can. It is more of an exercise for them to practice their reading and writing than anything else. Each child gets a paragraph or two written for them and them alone, while the majority of their letter from me is written in one big communal one for the entire orphanage that Mama Figg reads out."

Bella smiled and leaned back, allowing the teen to talk.

"The older kits and the teens get longer letters and what we talk about depends on the person. I have learnt a lot of things from them and our discussions on their hobbies and interests. Then there's Mama Figg and Tom. They are the ones who get my longer letters."

"It sounds like you have made quite the family from them," Bellatrix stated softly.

Harry nodded and looked up at her, pausing in his writing. "That's what we are," he said with a smile, "a rag-tag bunch of people whom no-one wanted or no-one could care for who found family in each other."

"It was you who brought us all together though Harry," Hermione said with a smile. "We wouldn't be as close without you being there." She placed her own pile of paper and parchment on the opposite side of the table to Harry and Bellatrix with a soft sigh of relief. "You are the centre of our family."

Harry flushed lightly as he placed his pen down and massaged his wrist to get his blood flowing properly once again.

"I'm sure you would have managed," he eventually said with a smile. "You always have."

Hermione blushed lightly. "Are you alright to do dinner tonight?" she asked, changing the subject. "You haven't cooked for a while."

Harry nodded and hummed in pleasure as he stretched. "I'm going to start now." He turned to Bellatrix. "Are you staying for the evening meal?"

The older woman quickly went over her schedule and slowly nodded. "Yes, I do believe I can stay for tonight's meal. I should also mention that Narcissa will be with me tomorrow."

Harry and Hermione smiled at her.

"Remus told us that during lunch," Hermione said as Harry wondered towards the kitchen. "You and Lady Malfoy take over Remus' and Sirius' classes during the full moon, don't you?"

Bellatrix nodded. "I take over Charms for Sirius and Narcissa takes over Defence." She shuddered slightly, "Never, and I mean NEVER get on her bad side. One student thought that due to her breeding, sex and slim body she wouldn't be a good Defence instructor. Not only did he discover the folly of his thoughts, but the rest of his class got front row seats to the prowess of the Black Family."

"I had heard from Sirius that the Black family were highly trained in combat."

"Oh we are," Bellatrix agreed, "and we all specialize in a different form of combat as well. Narcissa is best in Defensive Combat; Sirius is best at duelling and I am good with weapons. Sirius' younger brother is a Master of using potions in combat and mine and Cissa's older sister is one of the best strategists in the UK."

"It sounds as though you have a very strong family," Harry said as he placed a tray of tea and biscuits onto the table between the two females. "Is it something to do with genetics or is it trained into you?"

"A bit of both to be honest," Bella shrugged. "We are taught the basics for everything from a young age and when we discover what our forte is, that skill is trained to an inch of its life. Draco has gone through it even though he is the Malfoy heir."

"It makes sense," Harry stated, placing a full tea cup and saucer in front of both females. "Even though he is not a Black by name, he is a Black by blood. The lessons he learnt in childhood he will want to teach to his own children." Without a thought, Harry's hand rested itself on the area where his and Draco's future kittens would grow.

"And once we decide on what they are gifted with, we will do our best to help them master it," Sirus said as he plonked himself into the seat beside his cousin. "After all, until I find someone worthy enough of the Black family name to carry an heir, it will be one of Harry's and Draco's kids that will be the Black heir."

He grinned at Bellatrix. "Hey Trixie, you ready for tomorrow?"

Bellatrix grinned widely. "Has there ever been a time I've not been?"

Sirius grinned back at her, revealing their shared heritage as his features mirrored hers. "There is always a first time for everything."

"Not when it comes to me and my time torturing your students there isn't," Bellatrix retorted gleefully.

Sirius laughed and pulled the older woman into a hug. "Have I ever told you how glad I am you are related to me? Life would be boring without you to challenge my stupidity."

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear that Remus and I aren't the only ones to do so," Hermione stated from her place at the table.

Sirius yelped, let go of Bellatrix and fell backwards in shock. Harry, Hermione and Bellatrix burst into laughter as he blinked stupidly at the young brunette.

"When did you get here?" he asked blankly.

"We've been here all along Siri," Harry said with a laugh.

Once again the man blinked as though dazed and the three with him began laughing once again.

~12Line~

Remus, Severus, Draco and Blaise stopped and inhaled deeply, ignoring the loud chatter going on around them. Almost hesitantly, Remus opened the door and a wave of scented hot air broke over them.

"Whatever it is, I hope it is dinner," Blaise said, mouth-watering.

"It is, but it isn't ready yet," Hermione said with a smile from her place beside Bellatrix.

Draco put his bad down and nodded at his soon-to-be-sister-in-law. "Is Harry around?"

Hermione smiled. "He's just getting snacks to go with our tea."

Draco smiled his thanks and sank into the closest chair with a sigh of relief.

"Are you alright Draco?" Harry asked as he placed a large pot on the small table in the centre of the room.

"Just a bit tired Kitten," he said, smiling at the concerned male. "I have a bit of homework to do and not much time to do it in. Quidditch tryouts are on tonight and I'm not sure if I want to be on the team this year. I don't think I will have the time or the energy to do what the team needs me to do."

Harry climbed onto his lap and nuzzled his cheek softly. "Do you enjoy playing?"

"I do enjoy it, but I will give it up," Draco answered.

"Don't do that," Harry said, causing Draco to rear back in surprise to look at his mate. Harry smiled at him.

"You need to have some time for you," he said calmly. "If you don't you will burn out or you will lose yourself. I love you too much to allow that to happen."

Draco looked at Harry with such a deep seated love and adoration that everyone in the room gaped. Harry returned the look with one of his own and ran his hand gently through the vampire's blonde hair.

"Go to the tryouts Love," Harry said with a soft smile. "Do your best, spend time with friends and acquaintances who aren't caught up in the drama of creature mating habits and then come back to me and eat good food surrounded by family before turning your attention to business. When you leave, you hug me tight, take a moment to absorb my scent and aura, then you go back to your Dorm and relax before going to bed and tomorrow, you do it all over again."

Draco placed a gentle kiss to Harry's temple and pulled him down until his head was tucked under his chin and the black-haired demon was seated side-ways.

"What would I do without you Kitten?" Draco asked.

"Drive us all insane before attempting to kill Sev for making you drink artificial blood," Blaise said dryly.

Draco laughed and reached for his cup. "That sounds accurate," he admitted. He settled deeper in the chair and no-one was surprised to see his hold on Harry tighten slightly.


End file.
